Ludhiana, March 7 -- As many as 20 of the 40 Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) centres in district are running without a single counsellor, according to data from the deputy medical commissioner (DMC).

Officials said the local health department is struggling to cater to the addicts turning up at the centres amid the shortage of manpower.

According to head of the de-addiction centre at local civil hospital, Dr Arvind Goyal, the counsellors play a key role in an addict's path towards de-addiction and rehabilitation.

"A counsellor must motivate the addict to give up drugs and move towards an addiction-free life. This guidance is an important first step," he said.

The guidelines say every OOAT centre must have at least one couns...