Halfway House To Rehabilitate Drug Addicts
By Laila Rahman

Bandar Seri Begawan - BASMIDA will be introducing a "halfway house" for drug addicts undergoing rehabilitation in the Sultanate.

The centre will be set up in line with ongoing efforts to curb the problem of drug abuse in Brunei.

It will be modelled after Singapore's PERTAPIS Centre, an NGO (non-government organisation) drug rehabilitation centre run by ex-addicts.

Datin Hjh Masni bte Hj Mohd Ali, President of BASMIDA attended the 1st Asia Pacific Institute of Addictions Conference in Singapore, which began May 30 and ended June 4, 2004. Running with the theme "Successful rehabilitation", the conference coincided with the UN International Day Against Drug Abuse and Elicit Trafficking.

On the agenda at the conference were various methods used to cure addictions. Its overall aim was to share knowledge about the latest methodology and policies pertaining to drug abuse and rehabilitation.

Since its formation, Basmida has been providing input not only in terms of drug abuse treatments of rehabilitation but also prevention steps and efforts carried out by the association in helping the government agencies to control drug abuse problems in Brunei.

Datin Hjh Masni also explained about CAMP, a premier rehabilitation centre in Asia. Established in 2001, its mission is to provide a comprehensive programme aimed towards various addictions such as drugs, nicotine, prescription drugs, alcohol and gambling. CAMP received its funding from the Ministry of Health under the Health Service Development Fund.

Among the benefits gained at the conference was a presentation made by Dr. Scot Miller from Chicago. Dr. Miller explained that a research involving 1,700 addicts showed that not all treatment approaches work equally well with some clients at certain times.

Dr. Miller added that the success of the modality depends on patient and therapist, relationship between addicts and the healer, and the confidence of the patient in the early stages in overcoming the addiction.

Methods that were being compared were "CBT", "12 steps" and "motivational interview". The highest percentage of effectiveness achieved was 65 per cent.

There was also a session on AIDS at the conference.

The Brunei delegation also visited PERTAPIS Centre, one of the NGO associations in Singapore. The centre is run by ex-addicts and receives its funding from the Singapore government.

The centre focuses mainly on Malay Muslim youth drug addicts. It is known as the "halfway house" because the inmates are allowed to return to their homes in the morning. The typical length of stay at the centre is 6 to 12 months.

At the centre, they will also provide incentives training, counselling and working skills that could help meet the needs of the economic market. In Singapore, an agency made up of a group of companies called SCORE provides job placements for them.

The centre receives funding from the government whereby it receives about S$23 for daily food and stay expenses.

The delegates also had the opportunity to attend Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). NA is a "non-profit" oriented fellowship whereby every member suffers an addiction problem, whether still .in drugs and wishing to remove its addiction or after the treatment process and rehabilitation at one of the institutions or clinics.

The addicts are required to meet regularly and to express themselves concerning their addictions. There is only one regulation for membership - they are required to remove their drug addiction habits.

This method is recognised as one of the "after care", which is complementary to treatment and rehabilitation as to prevent these habits from recurring.

It is found that other countries that applied NA have had a 100 per cent success rate in being able to stop the addictions. In the Asia-Pacific, NA has existed for 15 years in Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.

BASMIDA also has plans to establish "Rakan BASMIDA". The programme will include recognised methods as post and complementary care to the treatment and rehabilitation as well as prevention of cases related to drugs. The concept of Rakan BASMIDA would be based on the Singapore Drug Rehabilitation Centre, PERTAPIS. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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