DOH: Mega drug rehab center halfway finished, to operate in November

The Department of Health on Wednesday said the Mega Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center being constructed in a military camp in Nueva Ecija is halfway finished and will be fully operational on the first week of November.

This is in line with the government’s mandate to strengthen its drive against illegal drugs and to help drug dependents and surrenderers in need of in-patient treatment.

“Six weeks after foundations were laid, building structures gradually took shape and now, 50 percent of the facility has been constructed,” Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial told reporters at a press conference.

It was constructed on a 75,000 hectare land at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, she said.

Ubial said the construction of the drug rehabilitation center began in July 2016, but full swing construction started soon after she went to Beijing, China last September to sign a deed of donation with Chinese businessman and philanthropist Huang Rulun.

Rulun donated a total of 10,000 bed facilities for the rehabilitation center, she said.

Partial turnover of 2,500 of these bed facilities will be on Saturday, while turnover for the remaining 7,500 will be done on Nov. 16.

Rulun is a private-held real estate developer who has invested in 20 five-star hotels and 10 shopping malls in China.

Ubial said Rulun met with President Rodrigo Duterte thrice to ask how he could help address the drug problem in the country: twice during his campaign and once after he assumed office.

As for the other amenities in the facility, Ubial said the right wing of the building, which can accommodate almost 1,000 in-patients and offices, are ready to be furnished, while the left wing of the building and the female dormitory are still being constructed.

Materials for construction were exported from China and were previously used in the rebuilding of houses for Typhoon Yolanda victims.

“Facilities will be ready for occupancy on Oct. 17, but people will not be transferred until November,” Ubial said.

“It is expected to be finished by the end of October 2016,” she added.

DOH is also planning to build one more mega treatment and rehabilitation center in Bataan, while one each in the Visayas and Mindanao will be constructed within next year.

With these on the line, the department has expedited its recruitment for human resources.

Ubial said they already have around 200 health workers from existing health facilities, while 200 more will be hired and another 200 will be provided by the government.

Meanwhile, Ubial said only about 1 to 2 percent of the drug surrenderers need residential drug rehabilitation.

“The rest will be referred either to a community-based or an out-patient rehabilitation program,” she added.

These community-based rehabilitation programs will be held in local government units with the help of non-government organizations, inter-faith groups and volunteers.

Out-patient rehabilitation, meanwhile, will be conducted by health professionals in DOH-accredited hospitals, regional offices or LGU hospitals.

According to Ubial, there are only 44 DOH-accredited treatment and rehabilitation facilities presently. Only 15 of these are government-owned and can insufficiently serve only 5,300 in-patients.

But DOH is optimistic that with the construction of the mega rehabilitation facility, drug surrenderers will lead a better life.

“The drug user or the drug dependent is not the enemy. They are illegal drug use victims,” Ubial said.

“This initiative will not only benefit the well-being of these drug victims whom we want to help and reach out to, but also for the change that we envision for our country,” she added. — RSJ, GMA News