Punjab govt’s anti-drug drive sparks data privacy concerns
The Punjab government’s anti-drug programme has allegedly breached the privacy of drug addicts by requesting the Punjab health department to share personal details of thousands of active drug users registered in outpatient opioid assisted treatment (OOAT) clinics without their consent
Patiala : The Punjab government’s anti-drug programme has allegedly breached the privacy of drug addicts by requesting the Punjab health department to share personal details of thousands of active drug users registered in outpatient opioid assisted treatment (OOAT) clinics without their consent, it is learnt.
Officials reportedly sought this information to contact the families of addicts to help prevent substance abuse. Deputy commissioners, who chair the respective District Drug De-addiction and Rehabilitation Societies, have already been collecting personal data of addicts, including their addresses, officials familiar with the development said.
According to information gathered by HT, deputy commissioners in several districts have obtained data from OOAT clinics, potentially violating Section 23 of the Right to Confidentiality of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017. This law mandates that an individual’s mental health condition, treatment, and medical records remain confidential.
“We have collected data from OOAT clinics to reach out to the families of drug addicts and prevent them from further abuse. However, we have not shared this data with anyone so far and have already stopped the process,” said a senior official, requesting anonymity.
When questioned about the alleged violation of the Act, Kumar Rahul, principal secretary, Punjab health department, said: “We have stopped this exercise. We are not sharing any details of drug addicts with anyone. We have apprised our apprehension to the nodal officer of the anti-drug programme regarding the privacy of drug addicts. There is no breach of privacy at all.”
The plan to reach out to families of drug addicts was discussed during the first anti-drug programme meeting held last month. The meeting, chaired by the Punjab chief secretary, included senior police and health officials.
It was decided that deputy commissioners would contact family members through field officers, making multiple officials privy to sensitive data. According to the minutes of the meeting “deputy commissioners will use the OOAT clinic database to develop district-wise strategies to reach out to affected families within three months. The assistant nodal officer of the anti-drug programme will issue a letter in this regard, and an action taken report will be submitted by March 31, 2025, for review by the committee.”
OOAT clinic staff have warned that collecting and sharing addicts’ data could have serious repercussions. Many adult patients have not disclosed their addiction to their families or partners. Unwanted disclosure could cause psychological distress and deter others from seeking treatment.
Additionally, there is a risk of data leaks or misuse by government agencies, raising concerns about potential violations of privacy rights.
Assistant director (mental health), Punjab health department, Dr Sandeep Bhola acknowledged the issue, saying: “There was some miscommunication regarding data collection. Only a few districts prepared the data before the process was halted. We remain committed to ensuring the confidentiality of drug addicts.”