Patiala, June 30 -- Amid shortage of psychiatrists, the Punjab health department has decided to train medical officers (MOs) to do their job so as to effectively run the outpatient opioid assisted treatment (OOAT) clinics. Psychiatrists perform a host of jobs, like monitoring and adjusting opioid dosages, approving new patient registrations and authorising home dosages. To overcome the shortage of psychiatrists, MOs would be imparted training by psychiatrists who have already attended a workshop at the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), AIIMS. The decision by the department is said to have been taken following complaints by drug addicts for failing to provide the required psychiatrists. Currently, there are only 45 physiatrists across the state for 542 OOAT clinics. Some districts are sans psychiatrists. According to officials, several districts are functioning with just one psychiatrist, making it difficult to provide adequate counselling and rehabilitation services to the drug addicts. Confirming the development, a senior official, privy to the development, said, "A special module to train medical officers - who are in charge of OOAT clinics - has already been prepared. The psychiatrists will train these MOs. A training roster has already been prepared." The official further said that the state had an acute shortage of psychiatrists, therefore, there had been delays in approving any changes in dosages of drug addicts. "After training, MOs will be empowered to make changes in home-away dosages of drug addicts alleviating a rush at OOAT clinics," he added....