Media Release
Mangaluru, Jun 27: The Father Muller Medical College observed the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on the June 27, 2019, an annual commemorative event as part of the United Nations International Day against drug abuse and the illegal drug trade.
The trade in drugs has been already recognized as a global problem requiring a global solution since the beginning of the 20th century, were in over the following decades, a multilateral system to control production, trafficking and abuse of drugs has been developed.
The world drug problem is one of the most challenging issues faced by humankind. It has wide-ranging impacts on the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities, as well as on the security and sustainable development of nations. Therefore, preventing and addressing drug challenges in all their complexity is essential to deliver a fundamental global pledge, enshrined in the Sustainable Development goals of the United Nations: ‘to leave no one behind.’
The international community shares a common goal to protect people’s security and well-being, while striving for the progress and dignity of all. The Department of Forensic Medicine and the Student Development Committee of the Father Muller’s Medical College under the Father Muller Charitable Institutions took on this initiative to create awareness among the students and the staff on this ill that is crippling the society.
The primary target of drug peddlers are the youngsters and their business thrives near the educational institutions, which make the youth more vulnerable to such menace. Many cases of drug abuse are seen in young adolescents to whom drugs are sold in forms of candies, chocolates and other edibles. These create a self driven desire to want more and hence the addiction of the individual to substance abuse. Addiction is the disease of the brain in which one looses himself to the harms the drug. Drug addiction isn’t about just heroin, cocaine, or other illegal drugs. You can get addicted to alcohol, nicotine, opioid painkillers, and other legal substances. Drug abuse is when the use of legal or illegal substances in ways that one should not take more than the regular dose of pills or use someone else’s prescription. One may abuse drugs to feel good, ease stress, or avoid reality.
With an invocation prayer the video of the skit performed at Forum Fiza Mall, Mangaluru and the poster competition held in the Father Muller Charitable Institution’s units were screened. The welcome address was given by Dr Nagesh, HOD Forensic Medicine with a brief introduction on the importance of the day. He stated that June 26, is considered the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking world over and to observe the day a play was showcased at the Forum Fiza mall, Mangalore and a poster competition was help in the FMCI campus.
Fr Ajith Menezes, administrator, FMMC, florally welcomed the chief guest for the day, Steven M P Dias. Dias is the Superintendent of Customs, Central Excise and Central Tax, Mangaluru, he was handed a sapling as a memento. The judges for the poster competition were Dr Mahesh, Department of Radiology and Dr Vinay Rao, Department of ENT. The winners Madhushree (FMMC), Joyol Fernandes (FMSON) and Dhanya Rao (FMMC) were felicitated. Dr Jayaprakash Alva, Dean, FMMC, gave away the certificate of appreciation to the participants of the skit.
Rev Fr Richard Coelho, director, FMCI, in his presidential address congratulated the department of Forensic Medicine and the Student Development committee for their efforts in the observance of the day. He stated that the youth were becoming victims of this drug menace and Mangaluru was recently known to be the place for most cases of drug peddling and trafficking according to the police department. He advised all to take a caution against this menace. He appreciated the student’s efforts in the skit and the poster competitions.
Dr Sanjay Fernandes, Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy and the staff coordinator for the Student Development Committee of the Father Muller’s Medical College rendered the vote of thanks. He called on the medical fraternity to unite and fight the weakness in the society (i.e., drug abuse). The institutional anthem was played and the resource person and chief guest for the day Steven M P Dias took the stage.
Steven M P Dias, spoke on this experiences as an intelligence officer and an excise officer on the menace of drug abuse. He said that the most cases of drug use and peddling are seen around professional colleges as people from all over the country come at one place having varied backgrounds. He explained that this day was selected by the United Nations in 1987 to observe that all countries are informed and drug free. He stated that 5.3% of the world population have consumed drugs once in their lifetime and 0.6% are habitual addicts. He stressed on the need to fight addiction in India as the neighbouring countries try to weaken its strength i.e., its youth, to this menace by trafficking and peddling drugs via land, sea and air. He explained the various forms in which drugs are found and traded with. He advised doctors and parents to embody the theme: 'Listen First' by the United Nations as a method to curb young minds from using drugs. He stated that diseases like HIV are the by-products of drug abuse leading to societal failure and rupturing the essence of family. He reminded the young medicos (doctors and paramedical) that serving the poor and the villages was the need of the hour. He enthralled the audience with is panache and wished well to all the medicos at FMCI a bright future.
The day was compered by Shreya Honarius and Dr Karen Castelino. Fr Nelson Pais, Assistant Administrator, FMMCH, faculties of FMCI and students were present