Latest news with #HepatitisC.
India.com
3 days ago
- Health
- India.com
Jammu and Kashmir Turned Hub Of Narcotics: A Threat From Across The Border
Jammu and Kashmir is facing a new crisis as officials state that drug addiction is becoming a serious concern in Kashmir, devastating the lives of young people. There has been a sharp rise in heroin consumption, with the main rehabilitation facility in Srinagar reporting a 200 per cent increase in patients seeking treatment since 2020, primarily for heroin addiction. Recent surveys on drug abuse in Jammu and Kashmir paint a grim picture of an escalating crisis, particularly in the Kashmir Valley. Approximately 13 lakh people in J&K are estimated to be drug users, representing about 10% of the population. These figures suggest a sharp rise from earlier estimates of 6 lakh in 2022. Heroin is the most commonly used drug, with a 95 per cent dependence rate among users. It is often injected, leading to high rates of syringe reuse and sharing, which increases health risks like Hepatitis C. Reports indicate that the majority of users fall into the 15–30 age group. Eighty-five per cent of opioid users prefer injection. Approximately 33,000 syringes are used daily for heroin injection in the Valley; a rough estimate suggests that among them, 65% are reused syringes, which increases the risks of diseases like Hepatitis C. Doctors at the main Drug De-addiction Centre in Srinagar stated that around 350-400 addicts visit the daily outpatient department (OPD), with a maximum of around 300 being heroin users who administer the drug through injection. Dr. Fazl e Roub, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, IMHANS, said, "We used to see 3-4 patients in 2016, but now we see 350-400 patients daily, most of whom are heroin users. I am talking about this center only; there are many more centers in Kashmir, and mostly they use syringes. Many patients are now shifting to Tapandol as the government has imposed strict restrictions. Out of the 350-400 patients we see daily, 300 are using heroin, and of those, 250-270 use syringes. They have a vast network; many peddlers are here, but now it's getting difficult for them. It's affecting the whole community; almost 70 per cent of them have Hepatitis C, and it goes from one human to another; it affects the whole family. The age group is 18 to 29; we have seen some females also. Treatment-seeking data for this center is around 8000, and many do not seek treatment early. A survey indicated 68,000 patients were treatment-seeking. We get patients from all classes; it's unfortunate that every class is getting affected, even the professional class." Drug abuse imposes a significant financial burden, as it is estimated that a user spends an average of INR 88,000–90,000 monthly on heroin. One of the drug addicts in rehabilitation spoke to Zee News, stating that he used to take 4 grams of heroin daily, which cost him around 24,000 rupees a day. He said there are more than 50 people alone selling in Srinagar, and dozens are in Jammu. In Jammu, drugs are available at a lower rate, so youth from Srinagar now travel to Jammu daily to obtain heroin. A drug addict in the rehab center said, "I used to take 4 grams of heroin; it costs 24,000 rupees per day. We used to manage money; four or five friends of us contributed. It's 100% true that heroin is used by 90% of drug abusers in Kashmir; heroin use is increasing day by day. This time, most of the use is happening in Jammu and Kashmir. They want to destroy the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, and that's happening. Heroin use will never end. It's common everywhere—in colleges, in schools, in tuition centers. 'Chitta' is common; it's called Chitta because it is white in color. It's increasing minute by minute. You say 50 thousand; around 1 lakh are those who are taking treatment, taking medicine; imagine how many more there would be. I am talking about heroin users; they are not in thousands; they are in lakhs. Earlier, it used to come pure; now it's synthetic. In Kashmir, around 40-50 are selling this. Now youth don't go to dealers in Kashmir; they directly go to Jammu. There are so many spots in Jammu; one gets closed, another is opened." J&K Police and security forces have now escalated their fight against narco-terrorism through property seizures, arrests, and enhanced border surveillance, targeting both drug peddlers and their financial networks. While significant strides have been made, the complex nexus of drugs and terrorism, fueled by Pakistan-based handlers, remains a formidable challenge. The police focused on dismantling interstate and cross-border narco-terror modules. In 2025, the Jammu and Kashmir Police invoked the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act against notorious drug peddlers. Across the Union Territory, 463 detention orders were issued under PIT-NDPS in the last 18 months leading up to June 2024, indicating sustained enforcement into 2025. SSP Srinagar G V Sundeep said, "This year, police in the anti-drug campaign have done extensive work against drug trafficking. Around 80 FIRs are registered, and nearly 150 drug peddlers were arrested. Around 40 big drug peddlers were booked under UAPA, which has given a jolt to their supply chain. Under NDPS cases, during investigations, many bank accounts were seized, and properties of big drug peddlers were seized and attached, valued around 7-8 crore rupees. Huge quantities of heroin, cannabis, and other drugs were recovered, which shows Jammu and Kashmir police's zero tolerance." "Jammu and Kashmir, in the present and in the past, has busted many narco-terrorism modules. We, the police and administration, have many times, with proofs and evidence, shown the international community that narcotics fund terrorism. Many times we filed charge sheets; even the NIA also proved that a share in drug trade goes to terrorists." Apart from the crackdown on drug peddlers, the police continued coordination, community engagement, and rehabilitation efforts among the common people to curb narco-terrorism. Jammu and Kashmir police also started awareness programs among common masses; in every police station, a 'thana diwas' is conducted to educate people about drug abuse. SSP Srinagar G V Sundeep said, "For many years, Jammu and Kashmir has adopted a multi-frontal approach in the anti-drug campaign. We make people aware every week during 'thana diwas'. We mostly talk about drugs; we try to engage youth in sports to keep them away from drugs." Intelligence agencies suggest that as Pakistan is financially unstable, it is getting difficult for them to fund the terror organizations operating in Jammu and Kashmir. Now, changing their strategy, they have told terror organizations to focus more on narco trade. ISI, along with terror organizations operating in Pakistan, are pushing hard drugs like heroin and brown sugar through the LoC and Punjab, which are sold in Jammu and Kashmir as well as routed to metro cities in India, mostly Mumbai, and the Middle East, where their value increases 1000 times. A kilogram of heroin which costs 5 lakhs in Kashmir is sold for around 5 crores in Mumbai or Dubai. Agencies say the heroin comes into Jammu and Kashmir from Afghanistan via Pakistan, a region known as the Golden Crescent, a name given to the opium-producing countries. As per data from the Narcotics Control Bureau of India, almost 800 kg of heroin were seized in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab from March 2019 to January 2025. Narco-terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir refers to the nexus between drug trafficking and terrorist activities, primarily driven by Pakistan-based groups to fund terrorism and destabilize the region. This phenomenon has emerged as a significant security and social challenge in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly after the steep rise in drug-related incidents. Agencies believe the LoC is a key entry point, with drugs like heroin, brown sugar, and cannabis smuggled through unfenced areas in districts like Kupwara, Baramulla, and Jammu border areas like R.S. Pura. Drones are increasingly used to drop consignments. Some drug consignments enter via Punjab and are rerouted to Jammu and Kashmir. Agencies also have reports that Pakistan orchestrates narco trade in Jammu and Kashmir and other metro cities of India and routes it to the Middle East to earn huge amounts out of this trade. Out of the earned amount, some percentage is used by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Pakistan military to fund terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir. Authorities claim that Pakistan channels drug profits to terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen. A rough estimate suggests narcotics trafficking along the Afghanistan-Pakistan-India corridor generates estimated earnings of ₹500 crore annually. NIA findings of ongoing drug seizures, such as 200 kg of heroin in 2019 and multiple seizures in 2020–2022, and busts of narcotics worth Rs 65 crore in Baramulla and Rs 180 crore in Samba, indicate a robust narco-terror network linked to Pakistan-based terror groups.
Bangkok Post
05-07-2025
- Health
- Bangkok Post
Calls to improve treatment and access for people living with HIV
The Thai Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (TNP+) has called on Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin to improve the universal coverage scheme, otherwise known as the gold card scheme, to ensure broader access to healthcare for people with HIV/Aids. Apiwat Kwangkaew, vice president of the TNP+, on Saturday said the proposal was made at the annual national health security meeting held by the National Health Security Office (NHSO) on June 30. Mr Somsak is also chair of the NHSO board. The aim is to improve the gold card scheme in three key areas including allowing those younger than 18 to receive treatment for Hepatitis C. For Hepatitis B, although treatment is covered, access to testing and medication remains limited, as the costs are included in the capitation budget -- a fixed amount of money paid regardless of the number of services provided. They also urged inclusion of the Hepatitis B vaccine for those with lower immune defences for early prevention, and proposed the expansion of cervical cancer screening for high-risk groups. That would include those with HIV, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and immunocompromised people and begin at the age of 25, with screening every three years. Expansion of the "One ID Card, Treatment Anywhere" policy to include antiretroviral (ARV) services, and cooperation with state enterprise employers to solve reimbursement delays are also planned. Also, the network called for nationwide anti-discrimination policies for people with HIV/Aids and urged the NHSO to coordinate with Disease Control Department, Thai AIDS Society and other networks to ensure efficient communications. The network also proposed a more proactive approach to healthcare in Bangkok such as allowing pharmacies to provide medications for those with non-communicable diseases and ensuring wider access for the "One ID Card, Treatment Anywhere" policy.
Wales Online
29-04-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
A 13-year-old boy had cancer. The treatment he received on the NHS ruined his life
A 13-year-old boy had cancer. The treatment he received on the NHS ruined his life Brian Langford has a long list of resulting health conditions after his cancer treatment Brian Langford, who is one of the campaigners in the infected blood scandal, at the Senedd (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) In 1983, a 13-year-old boy was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It was a difficult diagnosis for such a young person but the survival rates in young people are good and he had hope of leading a long and healthy life. Tragically, it was not the cancer but the treatment he received at Llandough Hospital in Penarth that would ultimately, in his words, ruin his life. That young Brian Langord would travel from his Merthyr home to Cardiff to receive blood transfusions as part of his care for the rare cancer, which affects the body's immune system. Thirty years later, he received a letter saying he had Hepatitis C. And that was not all, he was also diagnosed with liver cancer and cirrhosis and needed an ablation - a heat treatment - to burn the cancer from his liver. And it was all because of the infected blood that he had received all those years ago as part of his "treatment" for what could have been a survivable cancer. He is a victim of the infected blood scandal, his life changed - and in his words ruined - because he had a disease as a teenager and was unknowingly caught up in what is widely acknowledged to be the biggest treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here "I didn't know what [hepatitis] was," he admits about that moment when he received the letter. "That's without everything else I have," he adds, before listing just a handful of those other conditions which have changed his life, including heart failure and arthritis. Brian was infected during a scandal which saw more than 30,000 people in the UK infected with HIV and hepatitis C after being given contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s. Article continues below There are two main groups impacted, haemophiliacs and people with similar conditions - meaning they have a condition which means their blood does not clot and others who were given contaminated blood transfusions after childbirth, surgery or other medical procedures. In the 1970s, a new treatment for haemophiliacs was found, where donated human blood plasma was developed to replace these clotting agents but entire batches were contaminated with deadly viruses because blood products were imported from abroad and blood was used from high-risk donors such as prisoners and drug addicts. It is now known, blood products were not heat-treated to eliminate HIV until the end of 1985, although the risks were known in 1982, and there was too little testing to reduce the risk of hepatitis, from the 1970s onwards. After being given the infected treatments, about 1,250 people in the UK with bleeding disorders went on to develop both HIV and hepatitis C, including 380 children. About two-thirds later died of Aids-related illnesses and people, who had no idea, passed HIV to their partners. In terms of those given blood transfusions, the independent inquiry has found that between 1970 and 1991, about 27,000 people were given Hepatitis C, and between 80 and 100 of these people were infected with HIV, and about 27,000 with hepatitis C. A long-running, and painful exercise has been fought by victims, their families and supporters to investigate what happened and deliver them compensation. That compensation scheme will be for those directly infected, and those affected, which is as many as 140,000 bereaved parents, children and siblings of victims. Despite the independent inquiry report being published, and the UK Labour government having set aside almost £12bn for compensation payments, the process has been criticised by this impacted as too slow and bureaucratic. Some of those impacted met at the Senedd recently to try persuade the Welsh Government to put pressure on their colleagues in London. For Brian, the condition and the prolonged wait for compensation payment has, he admits, ruined his life. When he first read the letter telling him he had Hepatitis C he had no idea what it meant. He called his sister, because his niece was a nurse and he wanted advice. There was nothing in it to offer help or advice, just a factual statement with the two words he didn't understand. He describes his life as having become "terrible". "I can't do what I used to do. It's hard day to day sometimes to get out of bed. You're tired all the time, you've got to go for blood tests, to go for cameras to be put down your throat, or up your behind, to go for a CT scan..." He says he is routinely in hospital, so frequently he can't really put a number on it. His most recent hospital trip was threefold - for a camera, a CT scan and to see the heart specialist. "You're in hospital, with doctors all the time, blood tests, this, that and the other. You don't get a break, you're taking so many tablets you don't know what you're doing. "I used to be everywhere. I can't do nothing now, I can't walk on the street, I've got to stop. My son. He doesn't go anywhere because my wife has to look after me," he said. His son, now 19, has only ever known his father to be ill. "You sit there and think 'what can I do?' I can't get out and about," he said. Two years ago, he was one of those relieved to hear that a decision that payments would be made for those infected. "They talk a good talk, but they don't do anything. They're going to go round the rigmarole to put barriers in front of you, all the time." He should have been registered and paid his compensation now, he believes. He is registered, but still has absolutely no idea when any payment will be due. "They have paid 11 people so far," he said. For him, the money would help his son and give him some security. "It's beyond a joke, they know what they're doing, the more people who die, the less they have to pay out. They keep holding back on everything or putting hurdles in front of people to fill all these forms in. They've even got an app now to work out how much you're going to get but it doesn't make any difference." The money would be for his family, he says. But he has lost faith. "These people, they don't really care. They say this, that and the other but then go the opposite way. It was supposed to be paid by the end of December but it's all changed, they say one thing but do another." "It's hard, really hard, but you've got to carry on. They ain't helping anybody by delaying, people are dying, but that's no concern to them, so long as they die, they don't have to pay, and that's the way I see it." Article continues below When he, and the other campaigners, went to the Senedd,long time campaigner Julie Morgan, the MS for Cardiff North, raised their concerns - again with health minister Jeremy Miles. He said that ministerial meetings go on and "my officials continue to press for progress between meetings". He vowed: "I will press the case, as I have done, with the UK Government in my next meeting".
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
San Francisco ties clean needle distribution for drug users to treatment, counseling
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, who won election in November on the pledge to crack down on the city's fentanyl crisis, announced a new public health policy Wednesday that will more forcefully push treatment on drug users seeking clean needles and other supplies tied to their addiction. The new policy, to take effect April 30, marks a dramatic shift from the strategies San Francisco has used in recent years to encourage — but not pressure — illicit drug users into treatment, even as overdoses topped 800 in 2023. Though overdose numbers fell last year, preliminary data for 2025 show them creeping back up. For years, San Francisco and other cities have fostered the growth of community programs that provide so-called harm reduction services. Such programs generally target homeless people struggling with addiction, sending out street workers to distribute sterile syringes and clean smoking kits — foil, pipes and straws, for example — with the aim of preventing transmissible diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C. Many such programs also distribute Narcan, a medication that can rapidly reverse the effects of opioid overdoses. The harm-reduction approach has staunch defenders, who say the strategy helps safeguard people with drug addictions until they are ready to commit to treatment. The strategy also has weary critics who say the notion of "meeting addicts where they are" has not proven effective enough at getting people to seek treatment or lowering death rates. During a news conference at City Hall, Lurie said the days of San Francisco handing out drug supplies without connecting people to treatment "are over," and that the overdose crisis, fueled by fentanyl, mandates a more aggressive response. "We have so much work to do in this city," Lurie said. "We are seeing people struggling with addiction. We are seeing people die of overdose. And we have to make a change." Under the new policy, city staff and nonprofits that receive city funding are barred from handing out sterile syringes and other supplies unless they actively work to connect people with treatment and counseling. The policy prohibits workers from passing out smoking supplies in streets, parks and other public spaces, instead requiring such handouts be conducted indoors or at city-sanctioned locations. It does not change the rules around distributing clean syringes in public. "We are really trying to get proactive here, instead of waiting, watching folks die," said Daniel Tsai, director of the San Francisco Public Health Department. The tougher restrictions follow in the wake of the Trump administration's announcement last month that it was revoking billions in federal grants that help fund mental health and addiction services across the country. The prospect of major cuts in federal funding for community-level services is particularly worrisome for San Francisco leaders, who are facing a budget deficit of nearly $1 billion starting this year. Lurie, who has generally avoided talking about Trump during his first months in office, said his administration would "focus on what we can control right now." In recent weeks, he has announced a series of policy shifts to move San Francisco away from what its critics — and many voters — perceive as a soft approach to deterring the open drug dealing and drug use that plague some neighborhoods, including downtown and the Tenderloin and South of Market districts. Read more: San José mayor proposes jailing homeless people who repeatedly refuse shelter Soon after taking office in January, Lurie worked with the Board of Supervisors to pass a measure giving his office more authority to bypass bureaucratic hurdles that have slowed expansion of shelter and treatment programs for homeless people, as well as more leeway to pursue private funding to finance those initiatives. He is working to open a 24/7 "stabilization center" in the heart of the Tenderloin where police can drop off people who need medical care. He is also pushing forward with a campaign promise to open 1,500 more treatment beds. Lurie's early efforts have alarmed some front-line street workers who say he is abandoning strategies that effectively prevent overdoses. Tyler TerMeer, chief executive of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, warned that the new policy could result in more people turning from smoking drugs to injecting them, raising the likelihood of people overdosing and contracting infectious diseases. 'San Francisco AIDS Foundation stands firm in our knowledge that providing people with the information and resources they need to take care of themselves, including safer-use supplies and treatment and counseling services, is best for the health of people who use substances," TerMeer said. Lurie's office said the public health department will monitor overdose rates and the transmission of HIV and Hepatitis C "to ensure this policy aligns with overall public health goals." Both Lurie and Tsai acknowledged the new approach will not be easy to implement. For one, the city does not have anywhere near enough treatment beds to accommodate all the people in need. And the rules stop short of forcing people into treatment. Still, Lurie said, San Francisco has to upend the status quo even as it expands capacity for treatment and interim housing. "What we are doing is not working," Lurie said. "I am not going to sit by and not take action." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
03-04-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
San Francisco ties clean needle distribution for drug users to treatment, counseling
SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, who won election in November on the pledge to crack down on the city's fentanyl crisis, announced a new public health policy Wednesday that will more forcefully push treatment on drug users seeking clean needles and other supplies tied to their addiction. The new policy, to take effect April 30, marks a dramatic shift from the strategies San Francisco has used in recent years to encourage — but not pressure — illicit drug users into treatment, even as overdoses topped 800 in 2023. Though overdose numbers fell last year, preliminary data for 2025 show them creeping back up. For years, San Francisco and other cities have fostered the growth of community programs that provide so-called harm reduction services. Such programs generally target homeless people struggling with addiction, sending out street workers to distribute sterile syringes and clean smoking kits — foil, pipes and straws, for example — with the aim of preventing transmissible diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C. Many such programs also distribute Narcan, a medication that can rapidly reverse the effects of opioid overdoses. The harm-reduction approach has staunch defenders, who say the strategy helps safeguard people with drug addictions until they are ready to commit to treatment. The strategy also has weary critics who say the notion of 'meeting addicts where they are' has not proven effective enough at getting people to seek treatment or lowering death rates. During a news conference at City Hall, Lurie said the days of San Francisco handing out drug supplies without connecting people to treatment 'are over,' and that the overdose crisis, fueled by fentanyl, mandates a more aggressive response. 'We have so much work to do in this city,' Lurie said. 'We are seeing people struggling with addiction. We are seeing people die of overdose. And we have to make a change.' Under the new policy, city staff and nonprofits that receive city funding are barred from handing out sterile syringes and other supplies unless they actively work to connect people with treatment and counseling. The policy prohibits workers from passing out smoking supplies in streets, parks and other public spaces, instead requiring such handouts be conducted indoors or at city-sanctioned locations. It does not change the rules around distributing clean syringes in public. 'We are really trying to get proactive here, instead of waiting, watching folks die,' said Daniel Tsai, director of the San Francisco Public Health Department. The tougher restrictions follow in the wake of the Trump administration's announcement last month that it was revoking billions in federal grants that help fund mental health and addiction services across the country. The prospect of major cuts in federal funding for community-level services is particularly worrisome for San Francisco leaders, who are facing a budget deficit of nearly $1 billion starting this year. Lurie, who has generally avoided talking about Trump during his first months in office, said his administration would 'focus on what we can control right now.' In recent weeks, he has announced a series of policy shifts to move San Francisco away from what its critics — and many voters — perceive as a soft approach to deterring the open drug dealing and drug use that plague some neighborhoods, including downtown and the Tenderloin and South of Market districts. Soon after taking office in January, Lurie worked with the Board of Supervisors to pass a measure giving his office more authority to bypass bureaucratic hurdles that have slowed expansion of shelter and treatment programs for homeless people, as well as more leeway to pursue private funding to finance those initiatives. He is working to open a 24/7 'stabilization center' in the heart of the Tenderloin where police can drop off people who need medical care. He is also pushing forward with a campaign promise to open 1,500 more treatment beds. Lurie's early efforts have alarmed some front-line street workers who say he is abandoning strategies that effectively prevent overdoses. Tyler TerMeer, chief executive of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, warned that the new policy could result in more people turning from smoking drugs to injecting them, raising the likelihood of people overdosing and contracting infectious diseases. 'San Francisco AIDS Foundation stands firm in our knowledge that providing people with the information and resources they need to take care of themselves, including safer-use supplies and treatment and counseling services, is best for the health of people who use substances,' TerMeer said. Lurie's office said the public health department will monitor overdose rates and the transmission of HIV and Hepatitis C 'to ensure this policy aligns with overall public health goals.' Both Lurie and Tsai acknowledged the new approach will not be easy to implement. For one, the city does not have anywhere near enough treatment beds to accommodate all the people in need. And the rules stop short of forcing people into treatment. Still, Lurie said, San Francisco has to upend the status quo even as it expands capacity for treatment and interim housing. 'What we are doing is not working,' Lurie said. 'I am not going to sit by and not take action.'
