By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff reporter
VINTAR, Ilocos Norte—A rural
health facility in the remote Brgy. Tamdagan, this town is being eyed for
conversion as a drug rehabilitation center of the province.
Dr. Juanito Chua, Provincial
Health Management Council executive consultant confirmed this as
he reported that Department of Health (DOH) representatives already visited the
facility to check what needs to be done for its conversion.
Upon recommendation of the
DOH, Mr. Chua said all existing health facilities all throughout the country
which are underutilized can be converted as a drug rehabilitation center to
serve former drug dependents who surrendered to the Philippine National Police
(PNP) recently.
“We are just waiting for
funding from PAGCOR [Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.]. They [DOH
representatives] already measured the rooms in preparation for its masterplan,”
Mr. Chua revealed.
The Tamdagan hospital used to
be an infirmary hospital manned by a residing physician, nurses and midwife,
and equipment to serve villagers in mountainous Surong Valley but due to low
occupancy, this has been downgraded into a rural health facility.
Once converted into a drug
rehab center, Mr. Chua said it can still serve its function as a rural health
clinic.
Since the PNP’s aggressive
drug campaign under the Duterte administration, over 5,500 drug personalities
from the different towns and cities of Ilocos Norte have surrendered based on
an August 31, 2016 police report.
Police said the overwhelming
number of surrendered drug pushers and users was not anticipated but it shows a
strong support from the community.
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