DTRC Caraga: Drug abuse is an illness, professional help needed
By Renelle L. Escuadro
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — Drug addiction is a disease caused by exposure to psychoactive, illegal and destructive substances such as methamphetamine or commonly known as ‘shabu,’ marijuana, among others.
Dr. Romulo P. Ybiernas, medical specialist of the Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (DTRC) Caraga in Surigao City, said as he shared the services of the facility during the Kapihan sa PIA on November 11 at SM City Butuan.
“Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 stipulates that if a patient is exposed to illegal substances, they are sick because their well-being is affected, especially their brain, so they need treatment and should undergo rehabilitation,” Ybiernas said.
“The law also mandates that the Department of Health (DOH) shall spearhead programs and initiatives on treatment and rehabilitation, including prevention and control against the use of illegal drugs,” he added
He emphasized this as the legal premise why the DTRC Caraga was built in 2010 as a 100-bed capacity facility in Surigao City, serving as the first treatment and rehabilitation center in the region. “With this facility in place and a secondary one later built in the province of Agusan del Sur, persons who use drugs (PWUDs) and their families can conveniently visit these centers and ask for professional help.”
He called on families not to be complacent and be responsible to promptly seek professional help because if the said illness will reach severe manic behavior like schizophrenia when there are already psychotic symptoms of delusions (false beliefs) or hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there), disorganized behavior and detachment to the real world, treatment and rehabilitation will be very challenging and most of the time would remain futile.
The medical specialist encouraged the Caraganons to help them break the stigma of fear, public shame and even financial burden so affected families will be empowered to voluntarily submit their loved ones for assessment, then appropriate treatment and rehabilitation programs may be given to the PWUDs, especially those categorized under moderate and in severe cases.
For moderate and severe categories, it is highly encouraged to undergo treatment and rehabilitation while we can still help and save their nervous system, especially the brain, and restore the well-being of the PWUDs,” he said. “Our holistic program requires a confinement of six to 12 months for healing and recovery where they do daily tasks that are disciplined and designed to be routinary, including nutrition and grooming. Thereafter, they also have an 18 months duration of aftercare program to ensure successful reintegration to their families and society.”
He also shared some collaboration and initiatives for the development of the patients who are recovering from drug dependency. With the Department of Education, patients have the opportunity to finish their schooling through the program on Alternative Learning System (ALS), while skills and training services from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) are offered to prepare them for potential livelihood once they are discharged from the facility.
Meanwhile, for the observance of this year’s Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week (DAPC) from November 16-22, with the theme, ‘Sa Bagong Pilipinas, Kalusugan ay Pinapahalagahan, Droga ay Inaayawan,’ DTRC Caraga is determined to become a premier drug abuse and treatment center in the country as it continues to bring awareness of its services to the grassroots communities, serving as a beacon of hope to affected families to visit the facility and seek professional help to ensure timely and holistic recovery of a loved one and restore broken relationships. (RLE, PIA Dinagat Islands)
