DOH receives P826-M from JICA for drug users’ rehab

A ¥1.85 billion (P826 million) program by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed yesterday could spark an improvement in the country’s war on drugs.

DOH BREAKS GROUND AT A TREATMENT AND REHAB CENTER IN BUKIDNON. P826 million will go a long way towards helping the country’s drug dependents recover from addiction and be reintegrated into society.

Dubbed as the “Consolidated Rehabilitation on Illegal Drug Users (CARE),” the program is aligned with the government’s priorities against illegal drugs and seeks to establish and enhance drug rehabilitation facilities and establish treatment protocols of drug dependents in the country.

“CARE aims to provide an opportunity for drug dependents to reduce the risk of relapse, walk through a path or recovery and integrate them back into society,” said Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial.

“As a long standing friend and development partner of the Philippines, JICA supports DOH towards working for a common vision of a drug-free society,” said JICA chief representative Susumu Ito.

“Through this development cooperation we aim to help provide rehabilitation support for drug dependents so eventually they can integrate themselves back into society,” he added.

Should this program be successful, it will aid the current administration’s war on drugs. More than half of the country’s drug dependents are unemployed, and with the DOH only having 44 accredited facilities across the country, the investment from JICA will go a long way towards addressing the country’s problem with drug dependents.

 

Image grabbed from Department of Health (Philippines) on Facebook

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Philippine Star, BusinessWorld Online