The rehabilitation program of the government for drug surrenderees received a boost following the signing of the ¥1.85-billion (P826-million) grant between the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and the Department of Health (DOH) recently.
“This grant will be used for infrastructure projects, as well as for technical assistance on the policies, trainings and capacity building for our health workers involved in drug rehabilitation,” Health Secretary Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial said.
Ubial added they have yet to identify the areas where the rehab center will be built.
“But, according to our master plan, we still lack rehab centers in Panay,” she noted.
She said the program—Consolidated Rehabilitation on Illegal Drug Users (CARE)—is aligned with the current government’s priorities against illegal drugs. CARE aims to provide an opportunity for drug dependents to reduce the risk of relapse, and walk through a path of recovery and integrate them back into the society.
“As a long-standing friend and development partner of the Philippines, Jica supports the DOH toward working for a common vision of a drug-free society,” Jica Chief Representative Susumu Ito said.
Government data showed that the majority of drug dependents (53 percent) in the Philippines are unemployed (Dangerous Drugs Board 2015 data) and there are currently 44 DOH-accredited treatment and rehabilitation centers in the country.
The program will, therefore, help establish a treatment/rehabilitation center in the Philippines; improve operational and service standards for recovering drug dependents; and develop information materials on preventive education and awareness against illegal drugs. Capacity building is also a possible assistance, which Jica may provide to further address the issue.
For a more holistic approach in the country’s fight against illegal drugs, the DOH coordinates with the Task Force for the Establishment and Support of Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers, an interagency task force that was created through an executive order issued under the Duterte administration.
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