Chandigarh: Women are playing an important role in the Bhagwant Mann government’s anti-drug campaign, Yudh Nashean Virudh. At an awareness programme held in Moga, participants shared how mothers, wives, sisters and other family members are helping people overcome addiction through treatment, counselling and rehabilitation.
Their support is helping many individuals return to normal life.
Women playing a major role in Punjab’s anti-drug campaign
Women are emerging as a source of support and hope in the Bhagwant Mann Government’s war against drugs, Yudh Nashean Virudh. A recent awareness programme in Moga highlighted how mothers, wives, sisters and other family members are helping their loved ones seek treatment and recover from substance abuse.
When addiction enters a family, women and children often suffer the most. Families face emotional stress, financial problems and social difficulties. However, many families in Punjab are now recognising addiction as an illness and are encouraging affected members to seek treatment and continue recovery.
Women often become the driving force behind recovery. They motivate family members, provide care and help them stay committed to treatment. Many women are also encouraging relatives and neighbours to seek help and rebuild their lives.
Recovery stories shared at Moga awareness programme
These experiences were shared during the programme titled Menace of Substance Abuse Uncovering the Burden on Women, organised at SFC College, Jalalabad. Recovering patients and women family members spoke about how determination and family support helped people return to a life of dignity.
Ludhiana resident Ragini Kaur shared her experience.
My husband was a drug addict since before our marriage. But I only came to know about it once we started living together. We had lost all hope when someone guided us to take him to a drug-de-addiction and rehab centre. And that helped. Today he is completely sober. After my husband became free of drug addiction, we also helped my mamas son undergo a de-addiction course at the same place. He too has recovered successfully.
Balwinder Kaur from Buttar Kalan in Moga also spoke about her husband’s recovery.
Addiction had broken our family emotionally and financially. Counselling taught us that recovery is a journey in which the whole family plays a role. I took my husband to a de-addiction centre. Today my husband has turned completely sober. Not just him, another boy from our neighbourhood who was addicted to heroin also recovered successfully,” she added.
Family support remains crucial in addiction recovery
These success stories highlight the importance of family support in Punjabs de-addiction efforts. The government is making family counselling an important part of treatment in government-run de-addiction centres.
Dr Arvind Goyal, District Nodal Psychiatrist, Ludhiana, said, Recovery from substance dependence is most successful when treatment is complemented by a strong support system at home. While the government has strengthened access to free treatment, counselling, and rehabilitation services across the state, the involvement of family members remains critical. Families provide emotional support, encourage adherence to treatment, help individuals navigate setbacks, and create an environment that enables long-term change. In many cases, we have seen mothers, wives, sisters, play a pivotal role in motivating individuals to stay on the path to recovery. De-addiction is a collective effort where families are often the strongest partners in rebuilding lives.
Punjab government focuses on women-led change
Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said, Behind every successful recovery theres a family, a community, and a government system that chooses hope and compassion. Mothers, wives and sisters are becoming the torchbearers for the change towards a healthy, addiction-free, and Rangla Punjab. The success of Mann Governments Yudh Nashean Virudh lies in making the fight against addiction a peoples movement, and well continue to center the voices of women who are leading this change.”