Drug Detox Package Available in Eastern Visayas – PhilHealth

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) regional office here has called on self-confessed drug dependents to avail the medical detoxification package.

“We have been intensifying our awareness drive about the availability of detoxification package. This ensures the provision of the minimum standards of medical interventions to safely manage the acute physical symptoms of withdrawal associated with stopping drug use,” said Miramar Zabala, PhilHealth Eastern Visayas regional information officer.

The program to benefit drug users was launched early this year but the package has not been availed in the region.

Through the medical detoxification package, a PhilHealth member is entitled to PHP10,000 benefits as articulated in PhilHealth Circular No. 2016-0030.

However, the state-run agency emphasized that the medical detoxification is only the first stage or the precursor to effective drug addiction treatment.

“The success of the medical detoxification depends on the collaborative and concerted efforts of pertinent agencies tasked to address the challenges of drug addiction in terms of the personal, health and societal aspects of drug rehabilitation,” Zabala added.

The medical detoxification package is available to PhilHealth members with acute physical symptoms of use of amphetamine-type stimulants such as methamphetamine, cocaine or ecstasy or a combination of these.

The package can be availed of in all accredited levels 1, 2 and 3 government hospitals and in Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers that are licensed or certified by the Department of Health (DOH) and accredited by PhilHealth.

A total of 574 drug dependents in Eastern Visayas have surrendered and identified as high-risk based on community level assessment as of mid-April, according to the DOH regional office here.

Out of that number, 182 are in Leyte province, 45 in Tacloban City, 35 in Ormoc City, 223 in Southern Leyte, 55 in Eastern Samar, 17 in Calbayog City in Samar, and 17 in Northern Samar. Assessment is still ongoing in Biliran and Samar provinces.

The figure represents 1.71 percent of the 33,525 self-confessed drug personalities in the region since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed the presidency last June. (Sarwell Q. Meniano/PNA)