Jennifer Alejandro, MD, is the head of the Drug Abuse Council in the city of Pateros, a site of the USAID RenewHealth – Expanding Access to Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation (CBDR) project in the Philippines.
Doc Jen, as she is called, is accredited by the Department of Health to conduct drug addiction tests to determine the level of addiction and mental health problems of people who use drugs (PWUD).
The government’s anti-drug initiatives created pressure for people to “indulge” in treatment. The volume of clients and the lack of accredited doctors is a challenge for Doc Jen, but it is a challenge he has accepted.
“Addiction is a medical condition, so as a doctor, I think I have a role to play in treating that condition,” Doc Jen said. “I find fulfillment in the work I do, especially when I see how a patient recovers and how their family changes and they all become productive members of our community.”
Overcome stigma to get user treatment
Beyond her role as a physician, Doc Jen has been in charge of the Drug Council of the city of Pateros for the past four years. This office provides services to drug users seeking rehabilitation, an even more difficult task in the face of the stigma and discrimination suffered by clients and their families.
“I believe that changing the behavior of PWUDs and their families is key to increasing access to CBDR services. Many of my patients go to treatment for fear of retaliation from control authorities. Many also resist treatment because of stigma and discrimination against people who use drugs in the community, ”says Doc Jen.
The USAID RenewHealth Project is helping to address this challenge by providing technical support in creating culturally appropriate and evidence-informed social media and behavior change (SBCC) actions that motivate PWUDs and their families. to seek treatment.
Survey: Family support, key to self-motivation to overcome drug use
In 2019, the project conducted interviews with PWUDs and their families as part of a formative assessment of the SBCC. Surveys were collected that measured stigma and discrimination, barriers to treatment, and media preference to better understand how to best reach potential customers and families, and share information with providers as a resource.
The results indicated that barriers to treatment include stigma and discrimination. While fear has influenced some to seek treatment, it is often not enough to keep clients on the program. In short, self-motivation and family support are the main facilitators of change.
The data collected was presented at a three-week virtual workshop of the SBCC that began on April 29 and ended on May 15, 2020. With the participation of Doc Jen and other leaders of the Anti-Drug Abuse Council , the workshop aimed to create an SBCC framework and plan for CBDR in the Philippines.
“Maternal” patrols help reduce drug-related crime
In the workshop, participants shared best practices. For example, the city of Pateros has mobilized faith-based organizations to offer CBDR treatment. And to make their community safe, they have enlisted women patrollers, or Ronda ng Kababaihan. The patrols are made up of mothers and grandmothers, who after seeing the community experience, seek to prevent more drug-related crimes. The women patrol the barangays from 10pm to 4am with flashlights as the only defense. It is reported that their “maternal” approach works better than having male patrolmen. Since 2017, the fact that these women patrol the neighborhoods has contributed to a decrease in the crime rate in Pateros.
Doc Jen believes that initiatives like these send a powerful message that can help change the attitudes and behaviors of not only PWUDs and their families, but also members of the community.
“We need to continue to provide CDR because my view is that those who recovered may be advocates in the future,” Doc Jen said. “They can be the face of our campaign, share their stories about their journey to recovery, and provide inspiration to communities to counter the stigma and discrimination associated with drug use.”
For more information on CBDR, you can visit https://www.facebook.com/BawatSimulaCBDR/
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