New drug program expected in RI, for better or worse
Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Should we actually give syringes and needles, or light, non- addictive drugs to intravenous drug users?
Such a controversial drug-for-drug scheme, which has already proved successful in the United States and Australia in reducing drug abuse, will probably be introduced to Indonesia soon.
The National Committee of Drug Abuse Prevention (KP2NAPZA), a unit at the Ministry of Health, is currently preparing a new "Harm Reduction" program for intravenous drug users.
Under the program, the government will supply clean syringes and needles, or methadone or any other light, non-addictive drug substitute, to hard drug users, free of charge.
The program is aimed not only at helping intravenous drug users kick the habit through counseling, but also at preventing the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), as well as Hepatitis C, through reckless syringe use.
Two experts on rehabilitating drug abusers debate the issue. Here are their opinions:
Nuryani Yahya, executive director of Titihan Respati Foundation to rehabilitate drug addicts:
I fear the scheme may worsen the drug abuse problem in Indonesia, which has already reached an alarming stage.
What is the government trying to do? Encourage or eradicate drug abuse?
The scheme will not only make drug users cling to their addiction, but it might also create new addicts.
The drug abuse problem has affected people from all walks of life, including the poor. A scheme to provide free syringes or lighter drugs will only give more access to addicts from poor families.
The scheme is unsuitable for Indonesia.
Users of intravenous drugs may be responsible for spreading HIV/AIDS, but the scheme will not likely solve the problem. An integrated rehabilitation program remains the best method to address the problem.
If the scheme is to go ahead, it should be targeted specifically at intravenous drug users who still cannot kick the habit after taking part in a rehabilitation program.
There are many intravenous drug users that can be cured by a rehabilitation program. The drug-for-drug scheme may not be the one for them. It might even stimulate them to relapse.
A rehabilitation program teaches drug addicts that they can live without drugs, exposes them to normal life, and teaches them to be more independent.
If the scheme is aimed at containing the spread of HIV/AIDS, the drug addicts enlisted should be placed under tight supervision and receive a counseling program.
Joyce Djaelani Gordon, program co-director of Kita Foundation Center for Addiction Treatment and Recovery Community:
I am very hopeful the scheme can work in Indonesia.
We should have started it years ago, before the problem intensified. Ready or not, we have to do it. Intravenous drug users and HIV/AIDS are a reality.
Many people fear the scheme will encourage more people to become drug addicts because they approach the problem from a religious or cultural standpoint, from which drug abuse is perceived as a taboo issue.
Don't look at it as black and white. It's the same as if you put a fire extinguisher in your office: It doesn't mean that you're expecting the building to catch fire.
It is estimated that 10 percent of four million drug abusers have already contracted HIV, all infected because of sharing syringes.
The outlook is grim.
If Indonesia does not introduce the drug-for-drug scheme now, the spread of HIV/AIDS will pose a serious threat to the entire nation's health program.
More babies will be born with HIV, and grow up without parents because they have died of AIDS, and more young people, who are valuable assets to the country, will be gone.
Indonesia will slip back by 50 years.
The government will have to bear the huge costs, not only for medical treatment, but also the losses in terms of human resources.
If we can stop people from dying, why not?