BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The Baguio City Health Services Office (CHSO) is encouraging Persons Who Uses Drugs (PWUDs) to avail of the Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Program (CBDRP).
CHSO Mental Health and Substance Use Unit program manager Ricky Ducas Jr. clarified that CBDRP is not a buy bust operation and no case will be filed against PWUDs who will undergo the said program.
“Wala pong ongoing trial. Puwedeng-puwede pong pumunta sa unit natin, puwedeng-puwedeng ma-enroll po natin sa programang ito. And with that, wala pong case,” Ducas said.
PWUDs who will undergo the program will be treated for six months to two years.
“‘Wag po kayong matakot basta po willing po kayo to change or to be treated with addiction or the substance use. Puwedeng-puwede po kayong pumunta,” he added.
He also advised the public to avoid unhealthy coping mechanisms such as resorting to smoking and drinking alcohol when experiencing mental health challenges.
“There’s a study na magsasabi po na related po ‘yung mental health condition kaya napupunta sa substance use or addiction. Kasi minsan, as a simple example, mas maiintindihan po natin. Nagiging coping mechanism po kasi nila ‘yun. Ang tawag po namin is unhealthy coping mechanism. Unhealthy, ibig sabihin, it gives relaxation somehow. However, there is a detrimental effect to health kaya unhealthy po siya,” Ducas explained.
The CBDRP is an integrated model for drug users with moderate risk of drug dependence and with mild severity of addiction which have two core components- the Community-Based Support Services that provide activities that can contribute to the well-being of PWUDs, and the Community-Based Treatment which provides a continuum services from health to non-specialist assistance to meet the PWUDs needs. [JDP/DEG/Jairus Gabriel Cardinoza- PIA-SLU Intern]
