The
Department of Health (DOH) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency
(JICA) kicked off a 5-year technical cooperation project bolstering the
Philippines’ capacity in drug treatment and rehabilitation.
DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III and
JICA Philippines Chief Representative Susumu Ito signed on December 20, 2017
the Records of Discussion underscoring JICA’s technical support to establish evidence-based
drug dependence treatment and rehabilitation services in the Philippines.
Under the cooperation, JICA will
dispatch experts on drug treatment and rehabilitation in order to strengthen
Philippine government’s capacity to effectively deliver facility-based drug
dependence treatment and rehabilitation services through research, training,
and developing a Philippine relapse prevention model and M&E of services.
President Duterte has issued Executive
Order No. 4 in 2016 establishing and supporting drug abuse treatment and
rehabilitation centers in the country.
Early this year, JICA and DOH signed a
1.85 billion yen grant aid “Program for Consolidated Rehabilitation of Illegal
Drug Users” or CARE that seeks to establish a DOH TRC and improve operational
and design standards of TRCs in the country.
In all, JICA’s development assistance
aims to provide opportunity to drug dependents reduce the risk of relapse, and
integrate themselves into society.
Aside from drug treatment programs,
JICA has been actively supporting DOH’s advocacy since the 1970s in areas such
as maternal and child health services (MCH), and research and development on
infectious diseases among other health challenges. (PR)
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