Injecting ethics: Health Dept steps in to curb use of narcotics by doctors

Following the recent arrest of a final year medical student specialising in forensic sciences as well as his associates for procuring and supplying banned drugs to fellow medicos and the recovery of six varieties of narcotic substances worth Rs 3 lakh by the excise task force during a raid on his house in Musheerabad; the Telangana Health Department has been jolted to action. Taken a serious view of the incident, more importantly, the use of drugs by an alarming number of doctors, the department has issued strict instructions for ensuring discipline among medicos, upholding ethics of the profession, and preventing drug-related incidents.

The Director of Medical Education (DME -academic) Dr Shiva Ram Prasad has issued a circular instructing the officials concerned to take precautionary measures. The circular said, “In view of the recent incident that occurred in one of the government medical colleges related to the issue of drugs, the principals of all government medical colleges in the state have been asked for strict compliance” (sic).

The DME has asked the principals to conduct a meeting with all the heads of the departments (HoDs) and wardens of hostels (both girls and boys). The wardens and principals/vice principals should conduct inspections of all the hostels. They must arrange an interactive session of anti-narcotic officers with the students to create awareness and sensitization regarding drug abuse and its consequences. The principals have been asked to implement all the above instructions immediately and follow them scrupulously.

For the unversed, on Monday the Telangana’s Excise Special Task Force (STF) raided the residence of a post graduate medico, John Paul (who consumes drugs), and seized six varieties of costly narcotics, all estimated to value about Rs 3 lakh.

The STF seized OG Kush, MDMA, cocaine and hash oil from the doctor's premises. The STF has said that Paul’s house was not just a storage point but a distribution centre as the doctor and his friends used it as a discreet and secure location. A senior official said that the Health Department has been coordinating with the Telangana State Medical Council, Drug Control Administration and the police to identify and prosecute doctors involved in illegal drug activities.

The principals have been asked to sensitize the students on the ill-effects of drug usage and the repercussions of going to jail etc. The official said that medical professionals have an ethical duty to report colleagues suspected of substance use disorders (SUD) or other impairments that could affect patient care. The state medical licensing board can suspend or revoke licences if a doctor fails to comply with the required monitoring or treatment programs.