First batch of drug dependents leaving treatment and rehab center at yearend
By Robina Asido
The first batch of drug dependents participating in the pilot testing of the treatment method created by the Philippine and Japan governments in a treatment and rehabilitation center in Bicutan are set to graduate before the end of the year.
The treatment method is part of the Introducing Evidence-Based Relapse Prevention Program to Drug Dependence Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers project of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Department of Health (DOH) that seeks to improve the treatment program in the government owned centers.
Alpha Martin, DOH - Treatment and Rehabilitation Center - Bicutan, psychological service section chief, said the first batch of drug dependent who are expected to graduate after completing the six months program under the treatment model for residential facilities called as Intensive Treatment and Rehabilitation Program for Residential TRCs (INTREPRET) by September to October is composed of around 14 individuals.
Martin said out of the more than 500 patients enrolled in the center, 45 of the drug dependents are participating in the ongoing pilot testing of INTREPRET.
"More than 500 (in total for females), less than 100," she said.
In an interview with the Daily Manila Shimbun, alias Christian, a 38-year old drug dependent who is among the 14 participants of the first batch of INTREPRET project stressed how the ongoing treatment helped him.
"It boosted my self confidence, because we were able to speak, we can share our experience about drug addiction, which helps us know what triggers us, which we need to avoid when we leave here," he said in Tagalog.
"I learned a lot here compared to when I was in jail because here I was able to identify the things that triggered me (to drug addiction) and I learned strategies on how to avoid it," he added.
Christian, a house painter from San Andres, Manila, was arrested for violating the Dangerous Drug Act last September 23, 2020, started his treatment at the center on April 28, 2022.
He also believed other drug dependents in jail like him should be enrolled in the center for treatment as he noted that it is more effective than just staying in jail where illegal drugs can still enter.
Daisylet Patdo, 27, a health program officer and one of the psychologists in the center, said the treatment methods by JICA and DOH makes their job easier although the program requires more staff for its effective implementation.
"That is a big help for us because of the module. Instead of thinking of what activities we can give them, now we are just following the module, so the structure is really a big help for us," she said.
"When there are influx of patients--since the INTREPRET program needs a lot of staff because per group our maximum patients is 15 to 20-- for that group there is a need for one staff, so if the number of patients increase there is a need also to increase the number of staffs," she added.
However, Patdo also suggested a possible improvement on the method since it cannot accommodate patients who cannot read and write.
"There are patients who have difficulty in writing and reading, so I think the INTREPRET program will be difficult for them to grasp because it is more on reading and activities that they have to read so that's a bit challenging for us," she said.
"I think it can be more on talking instead of activities because what we can do is instead of writing the activities, we can ask them directly what they think about this. For example what are their triggers? Instead of writing it, they can just tell us directly," she added.
Patdo said after graduating from the center, the patients will still have to undergo what they called an "aftercare" for 18 months where they will be required to report to the center in a certain schedule to update the center about their current conditions.
Martin said they are hoping to fully incorporate the use of the INTREPRET program in the center, once the pilot testing will become successful.
The IntERlaPP project, formally launched in 2017, was supposed to end by December of 2022. It was extended up to June 2024 after the implementation of the project was suspended in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The formulation of the treatment module used for the INTREPRET program was started after launching while the pilot testing which began in 2019 was suspended because of the pandemic.
Martin said after the suspension of the pilot testing in 2020, the admission for the INTREPRET program restarted in March 2022. DMS
