Additional Secretary Ms. Mona K. Khandar visited the government drug rehabilitation centre in Raigarh, Uttarakhand.
The centre adopts a holistic, dignity‑centric approach to drug rehabilitation, combining medical care, professional counselling, structured routines and health‑related activities.
Overview of the rehabilitation programme
The centre runs health‑promoting activities such as yoga, yoga nidra, acupressure, massage, mud therapy and epsom salt therapy, which, together with professional treatment and counselling, aid residents’ recovery.
A senior officer of SPYAM said these activities help residents cope with stress, maintain a healthy routine and feel better overall.
Proposal by the Additional Secretary
Ms. Khandar discussed the prospects of integrating yoga and natural medicine into drug rehabilitation programmes in partnership with the Ministry of Ayurveda.
She said the experience at the Raigarh centre could serve as a starting point for pilot projects that combine evidence‑based medical treatment with professional counselling and traditional methods.
Systematic planning, documentation and evaluation will be required for the proposed projects to assess safety, acceptability and benefits.
Future direction
Successful practices could be considered for adoption in government drug rehabilitation centres across the country, provided approvals from relevant ministries are obtained.
The Additional Secretary said this collaboration could contribute to developing general guidelines, staff training and quality standards.