The Department of Health (DOH) here has trained local government health workers in screening and assessing drug surrenderers, especially the youth profiled by the Philippine National Police (PNP).
DOH Provincial Head Dr. Socrates Villamor said his office does not yet have the statistics on the number of youth drug surrenderers who were assessed for rehabilitation.
“For now, we are doing the regular general rehabilitation program while waiting for the finalization of policies and guidelines for the youth rehab treatment under the community-based reformation and after-care programs,” said Dr. Villamor in a Kapihan sa PIA forum in celebration of Children’s Month.
The current administration is determined to implement community-based rehabilitation, after care program, and conduct drug testing at DOH accredited drug-testing laboratories to help in the treatment, rehabilitation and recovery of surrenderers.
Dr. Villamor said that under its aftercare program, patients that will be discharged from the treatment rehabilitation centers are referred to their office for follow-up and monitoring.
Villamor said the training on community-based rehabilitation of drug dependents began years ago as trained personnel would screen drug surrenderers for classification, whether they are low risk, moderate risk, and high risk drug users.
“Those who are assessed in the low and moderate drug dependence can be included in the community-based treatment rehabilitation program while those who have severe drug dependence are referred to residential treatment rehabilitation centers in Cebu,” he said.
Meanwhile, the province is planning to put up a rehabilitation center with the assistance of DOH and other agencies. (jct/PIA7-Negros Oriental with reports from Cristina Grapa, SU Intern)
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