The country will soon have an additional seven drug rehabilitation centers soon.

Dr. Wilma Diez from the Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said an additional seven centers which will be donated by partners will be added to the current 46 drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation centers in the country.

Diez told the Philippine News Agency that memorandum of agreements were already signed for all these seven centers.

“Those seven are already in the works. Our donors are committed. Some of the facilities have already gone through a ground breaking (ceremony)” she said.

DOH will manage the additional centers, which Diez said will be located in Agusan Del Sur, Sarangani, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bicutan, Davao and Cavite.

According to Diez, among the donors of the new centers are China, JICA and Megaworld.

In a press conference held at the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) office in Quezon City, Diez cited the importance of drug rehabilitation and treatment centers, as these are where the DOH treats severe cases of drug dependency or addiction.

She told PNA that from July 2016 to May 2017, the DOH has recorded a total of 2,041 severe cases admitted in the centers.

Of this figure, she said 1,263 are already well. The others, she said, were those who opted to drop out, those who were referred to mental hospitals, and others have died.

Those who have severe cases usually have psychiatric problems, she cited.

“Treating severe cases normally takes six months based on court order,” Diez said, adding that after six months, there is still a post-rehabilitation process.

Diez emphasized that the key to address drug addiction is to have the commitment of the patient, and also of the community.

In the same press conference, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) officer-in-charge Catalino Cuy said that a big portion of drug surrenderers require community-based rehabilitation.

According to him, there are more than 65,000 individuals currently undergoing rehabilitation.

“Rehabilitation includes sports activities, community services, livelihood programs, Bible studies,” he continued.

Cuy mentioned the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Yakap Bayan program, which aims to turn drug dependents into community leaders.

He explained that part of rehabilitation is the government’s community service advocacy.

Yakap Bayan is DSWD’s inter-agency collaborative program meant for the aftercare, transformation and reintegration support for recovering drug dependents. (PNA)