Medical practitioner Dr Ramanand Kamath making a point on alcoholism at a briefing.
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Noted medical practitioner Dr Ramanand Kamath has on Thursday said that Alcoholics Anonymous is the forum for alcoholics to shun drinking, asserting that medicine alone cannot stop alcoholics from going back into alcoholism.
“What doctors and medicine can do is to treat the withdrawal symptoms and get liver transplant for the victims. But, we cannot stop the alcoholics from going back again into alcoholism,” he said.
The Gudi-Paroda-based medical practitioner was addressing the media along with members of Alcoholics Anonymous Inter Group, South Goa ahead of the celebration of the AA Founders Day and 88th anniversary worldwide scheduled on June 10.
Dr Kamath added: “I have been associated with the AA for the last 10 years. I have seen during my 43 years of medical practice that the medical fraternity cannot prevent people from going into alcoholism. We treat the victims, but they go back into alcoholism. But, many alcoholics, who went to the AA fellowship managed to recover and have now abstained from drinking”.
Making a fervent plea to people to be a part of the AA fellowship to shun alcohol, Dr Kamath said that when people see a compulsion to drink, it ruins his life as well as the lives of the family members for a generation.
Meanwhile, the Alcoholics Anonymous Inter Group Goa (South) will celebrate its Founders Day and 88th Anniversary worldwide on June 10, with an Awareness Programme on Alcoholism and its recovery in Alcoholics at the Grace Church Hall, Margao from 10 am.
Dr Arpita Sirsikar, Psychiatrist Hospicio South Goa District Hospital, Margao will be the Chief Guest, Dr K Ramananda Kamath, MBBS of Shri Damodar Nursing Home, Gudi, Paroda, Quepem will be the Guest of Honour, Fr Joe Rodrigues, Parish Priest, Grace Church, Margao, Alvia Analiza Pereira, Clinical Psychologist, Hospicio South Goa District Hospital, Margao and Rama Mahadeev Gaonkar, Psychiatric Social Worker will be the Special Invitees at the function.
In Goa, 64 AA groups are having weekly meetings where recovering alcoholics strengthen their sobriety and newcomers recover through the sharing of experience, hope and strength from alcoholics who have recovered for a considerable period of time.
