NEGROS Oriental Third District Representative Arnulfo Teves said that government-owned rehabilitation centers should be run privately instead.
Teves, a reformed drug dependent, aired this suggestion during the meeting of House committee on dangerous drugs Thursday, wherein the committee tackled various proposed bills on the establishment of rehabilitation centers.
To run a 100-bed capacity rehab center, the Department of Health (DOH) said that P51.5 million is needed annually for its personnel services alone, he said.
Budget is also needed for other expenses like food and utilities.
Teves said that he has no problem with putting up rehabilitation centers, but the issue is still government funding.
He noted that if the government will treat 200 drug patients per year on a six-month period in a 100-bed capacity, it will require P257,500 per patient on salaries alone.
Teves suggested a cheaper proposal which is, to let government-owned rehabilitation centers run by private groups.
He said that he told the DOH to “seriously consider the proposal and do the math.”
Teves added that the government won’t need to spend much on the rehabilitation program if there’s a private partnership in running the facility.
Moreover, Teves also suggested to outsource the services of private rehabilitation centers, wherein PhilHealth can cover the expenses of every drug patient, which is about P40,000 on a two-month program, while the rehabilitation centers are being constructed.
“They can accommodate the addicts for the meantime while the structures are being build,” he added.
Teves had initiated a cheap outpatient drug rehabilitation program to address the massive number of drug surrenderers in Negros Island Region.
The ongoing 8- to 12-week program costs P2,500 for every drug patient.