Dharamshala: Department of Health, Central Tibetan Administration organised a mobile awareness campaign on substance abuse at Tibetan schools and Settlements in collaboration with REWA the healing centre at Siliguri and REWA the youth centre at Dehradun.
Awareness talks on substance abuse and its addiction were organised in Sonada, Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Ravangla from 27 – 31 March 2023. Simultaneously a similar awareness program was also conducted in STS Mussoorie, Tibetan Nehru Memorial Foundation School, and Clementown on 27 – 28 respectively. Topics covered during the awareness campaign were root causes of addiction, initial stages, identifying early signs of addiction, effects of substance abuse in society, and substance abuse in schools, followed by a Q&A session where students and people came up with different questions.
The main objective behind this awareness activity is to educate audiences on the effects of substance abuse and its addiction on life. During the event, former addicts and patients shared their life experiences as an addict and a skit play were performed too to bring awareness to the topic.
The program was funded by the US State Department’s Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration ( PRM).
-Report filed by the Department of Health