Ilocos Norte eyes conversion of Vintar hospital into drug rehab center

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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