PHC seals addiction and rehabilitation centre

LAHORE: Punjab Healthcare Commission on Monday sealed a drug addiction treatment and rehabilitation centre for insufficient psychiatric, health and residential facilities after evacuating 21 persons.

The PHC team had conducted a raid on the Arshad Rehab Addiction Treatment Centre in Johar Town, which was functional without the requisite human resource, that is, psychiatrists, psychologists, doctors & para-medical staff and insufficient facilities like the residential and emergency cover. The team evacuated 21 persons, got them examined and were handed over to their relatives prior to sealing the premises.

A spokesperson for PHC said the commission has conducted raids on 82 drug addiction treatment and rehabilitation centres, and evacuated 672 persons. “Out of the visited centres, 37 have been completely and six partially sealed,” he said adding that show cause notices had been served to 24 centres after stopping them from taking new admissions and discharging the admitted patients.