The government has brought the privately-owned drug addiction rehabilitation centres under a policy, which is allegedly hindering the set up and operation of the centres in a few cases.
Appreciating the recently-introduced policy, the owners said they were facing difficulties in setting up such centres in the residential areas due to the city corporations' restriction in issuing trade licences.
They also alleged that running such centres under two government authorities was also creating problems.
Under the new policy, meant for bringing disciplines to the services, the owners of the treatment, rehabilitation and consultation centres require obtaining licences from the Department of Narcotics Control.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, in a recent policy, stipulated a number of compliance requirements for establishing such rehab centers.
The policy allows the rehab centers to admit persons subject to written approval by their guardians, despite the unwillingness of the drug-addicted persons.
In that case, authorities of the rehab centres are required to inform the concerned police stations or local narcotics control office.
The policy has also made mandatory for such centres to have at least a space of 80-square foot for per person, including a balcony and other common spaces, adequate security, brick-built house with sufficient light and air, elevators in cases of high-rise buildings (fifth floor or above), fire safety equipments, one toilette for each 10-bed with uninterrupted water supply etc.
Shahedul islam (Helal), owner of Promises Medical Limited, a rehab centre for addicts and mental health, welcomed the policy, but demanded allowing establishment of such rehab centers both at residential and commercial areas.
"Elsewhere in the world, the rehab centers are located either out of the city or in the residential areas to ensure that those are established in quiet places," he said.
However, he added, the city corporations in Dhaka have not been issuing trade licences to set up such centres in the residential areas.
Without this licence, getting permissions from other government authorities like environment, fire, labour etc. are not possible, he said.
"The rehab centres were having trouble in getting the nomination of patients' guardians. Now the policy has clear mention about this which is very helpful," he said.
Most addicts have psychological issues. Thus rehab centres needed to take licences from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) - that too means an organisation is guided by the regulations of two different departments, he said.
"This is a big problem as DGHS's regulations are stringent and difficult for the rehab centres to abide by," he alleged.
The policy could have clarified this issue by saying that for the mental health patients, their licence will be good enough and no other authorities' licence would be required, he added.
Iqbal Masud, director of health and wash sector of Dhaka Ahsania Mission and member of national tobacco control taskforce, ministry of health and family welfare, said that like other chronic diseases such as heart or asthma, treatment for drug addiction usually isn't a cure, but can be managed successfully.
He also pointed out that the district headquarters lacked an adequate number of psychiatrists and recommended allowing telemedicine facilities in the policy, he said.
"As per the anti-tobacco law, there is no scope to keep a dedicated smoking zone in a health care centre," he said.
He also found the licence fee is quite high and also alleged lack of clarity on privacy issues on protection of patients' information.
