The Department of Health (DOH) – MIMAROPA (Oriental/Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) together with the local government of Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro has successfully rehabilitated 50 more drug surrenderees in the municipality of Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro as they were presented yesterday during their graduation ceremony held at the municipal hall.
The drug surrenderees were enrolled in the Advance Intensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Program, a one-month out-patient treatment designed by DOH-MIMAROPA which includes behavioral counseling, medication, evaluation and treatment for occurring mental health issues such as depression and anxiety and yoga exercises.
“The objective of the program is to bring back these patients to the main stream of society by giving them purpose to move forward to a more productive life and provide them alternative means of livelihood to ensure that they will not revert from their old ways of peddling illegal substances in the streets,” Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo stated.
“All 50 enrollees in the program are now negative for illegal drugs in their body. They will be regularly monitored and assessed in order for them to avoid having a relapse,” he added.
Janairo emphasized that all patients have undergone detoxification with the use of “Ayurveda”, the ancient holistic healing system from India which includes a complete detoxification called Pancha Karma designed to treat the core roots of disease and illness and restore optimal health.
One-on-one consultations were conducted with the use of telemedicine system to enable drug surrenderees to communicate with psychologist and psychiatrist in Metro Manila in real time.
According to Janairo, there are now a total of 89 drug surrenderees who have undergone the DOH-MIMAROPA Advance Intensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Program.
“We will continue to coordinate with the local governments of the region to further strengthen and increase the coverage of the program to be able to reach out to other municipalities in the region”, he concluded.