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[av_heading heading=’Town health offices screen Aklan junkies’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY BOY RYAN ZABAL
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Tuesday, May 16, 2017
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KALIBO, Aklan – Municipal health offices across the province continue the profiling of drug dependents who surrendered to local authorities as part of the government’s antidrug campaign.
A total of 853 (45 percent) have been screened out of the more than 1,900 suspected dealers and users who turned themselves in.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Cornelio Cuachon Jr. said they were using the ASSIST (Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test) to assess the severity of drug dependence.
The assessment will help health officers determine the treatment plan each drug dependent needs, with the help of their families, government agencies and religious/faith-based organizations.
Under Oplan Sagip of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), for “low risk” junkies, the anti-drug abuse council shall provide interventions including technical skills enhancement, civic and environmental activities, livelihood trainings, educational programs, and spiritual/faith-based activities.
Drug dependents with “mild substance use disorder” are referred to a community-based psychosocial rehabilitation.
Those with “severe substance use disorder” will undergo detoxification and referred to a residential rehabilitation center for inpatient therapeutic community, faith-based and eclectic programs.
“Moderate” drug dependents will undergo a six-month outpatient structured intervention with more than 90 sessions, Cuachon said.
“[We have] doctors, nurses and municipal social welfare workers trained to handle ‘moderate substance use disorder’ [patients],” he said.
Recovering drug dependents will also undergo an 18-month aftercare and reintegration service with the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
According to the DDB, there are only 45 residential treatment and rehabilitation centers in the country — 18 government-funded and 27 privately owned. (With Aklan Forum Journal/PN)
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