DRUG dependents who seek to break free from addiction can receive from PhilHealth a free detoxification package as part of the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.
The package will focus on patients’ withdrawal stage, the period which experts say is the most critical part of rehabilitation process because it may pose health complications like hypertension or kidney failure to patients.
PhilHealth explained that the health agency and not the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. will shoulder the funds for this project.
“If a doctor sees that a drug dependent needs detoxification because he shows symptoms of possible effects of illegal drugs, the doctor will then give the package,” PhilHealth senior vice president Ruben John Basa said in a television interview.
Earlier, the Department of Health also said it is expanding rehabilitation and treatment centers to address the heap of drug users surrendering to the police. These facilities have about 500 to 2,000 beds.
Currently, the DOH is only able to accommodate around 5,000 patients with existing facilities.
But President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday that China has promised to help the Philippines build a drug rehabilitation center in Nueva Ecija.
In a speech before the Filipino community in Indonesia, Duterte said a drug rehabilitation center is being built in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.
“China offered to build the rehab. I think they have already started in Magsaysay. They are bringing the materials there already… only China will help us,” Duterte said. “I would like to thank China for being generous to us.”
Duterte then explained that he has yet to build a rehabilitation center because he is operating on a budget approved by the previous administration.
“The budget does not include treatment and rehabilitation for 3.7 million drug addicts,” Duterte also said.