Hontiveros: Illegal drugs is a medical concern

Senator Risa Hontiveros (center) arrives at the Cebu Doctors’ University, Mandaue City, North Reclamation Area to talk about health issues that continue to hound the country, including the rehabilitation of thousands of drug surrenderers. Hontiveros, head of the Senate Committee on Health, spoke before students and medical practitioners in the region who participated in the 5th Association of Philippine Medical Colleges-Student Network (AMPC-SN) Visayas Regional Convention. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

IN attacking the problem on illegal drugs that has long been plaguing the country, it is important to view the problem as a medical concern rather than just a law enforcement issue.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, head of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, told a forum in Cebu yesterday that while law enforcement has proven to be an effective solution in busting anti-illegal drugs in all regions, the problem still needs to be viewed from a “public health lens.”

“Kailangan din intindihin na itong problem sa drug addiction is a medical condition na nagsisimula sa problema, sa isang need (We need to understand that this problem on drug addiction is a medical condition that stems from a problem or a need),” she said.

When asked about how the government should help in rehabilitating the huge number of drug surrenderers in the country and in Cebu, the senator said that the first step to be taken must be to classify the surrenderers depending on their individual cases.

“We must first classify the drug dependents who volunteered themselves for rehab according to their cases because there are varying protocols intended for them,” Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros added that harm reduction strategies must also be accomplished to eliminate the risks that the drug surrenderers might cause to their communities and their families.

“Hindi pwedeng ang approach ay law enforcement lang. Kailangang may gampanan na papel ang public health at harm reduction (We can’t solve this through law enforcement alone. Public health and harm reduction is also part of the solution),” she said, adding that preventive education also plays a vital role in the campaign to teach the youth about the dangers of illegal drug abuse and dependence.

The senator was in Cebu to talk about the Philippine health agenda during the 5th Association of Philippine Medical Colleges-Student Network (AMPC-SN) Regional Convention at Cebu Doctors’ University (CDU), a convergence of medical students and practitioners from the Visayas region.

During the event, Hontiveros tackled various concerns confronting the health sector including the need to address the issue of mental health in the Philippines, creating a universal healthcare system, providing better access to healthcare services for the marginalized and rehabilitating the drug surrenderers resulting from the massive government campaign against illegal drugs.