'Pesantren' treats drug addicts

'Pesantren' treats drug addicts

JAKARTA (JP): Pondok Pesantren Modern Darul Ichsan Islamic
boarding school in Cariu, Bogor, offers what it calls a complete
rehabilitation program for drug addicts by using medical,
religious and psychosocial methods.

"It's the only one-stop rehabilitation center in the country
today," the chairman of the school, Salamun, told The Jakarta
Post on the sidelines of an after care training program for drug
addicts on Friday.

Salamun said the rehabilitation program included
detoxification, primary care, reentry care and after care phases.

In the first stage of treatment, patients are isolated and
have to follow schedules which include taking medication and
following religious and psychosocial programs, which include
counseling, Salamun said.

"The religious program depends on the patient's beliefs
because we also have non-Moslem patients," Salamun said.

After the initial phase, which takes about 12 weeks and costs
Rp 12 million per patient, Salamun explained, patients next go
through a reentry phase which has similar programs to the first
stage.

"But the schedule is more relaxed at the reentry period as we
emphasize the patients' readiness to return to their families and
society," Salamun said.

At the reentry stage, patients are encouraged to join various
activities, including radio broadcasting, he said.

"We buy air time from radio stations so we can broadcast in
Bogor and Bandung," Salamun said.

The length of the reentry period depends on the patient's
needs, Salamun added.

The school also offers an after care program to make sure
patients do not revert to being addicts again, Salamun said,
adding that an addict is said to be free of drugs after he does
not consume any for two consecutive years.

Salamun said the Rp 12 million fee for the first stage program
was relatively cheap compared to other institutions which offer
the same service.

"Detoxification is free," Salamun added.

However, he failed to mention the fees at other rehabilitation
centers.

He said the lowest the reentry phase can cost is Rp 2.5
million for a month. The cost would be higher if extra services
were required, Salamun added.

"Some patients need to be provided with tutorials so that they
will not be left behind at school," Salamun said.

He said all programs were carried out by professionals who had
at least a bachelor's degree.

Located about 70 kilometers south of Jakarta, the school is a
complete facility, including clean accommodation, laundry and
room service, sport facilities, including a swimming pool, and
recreational sites such as hunting and gold panning.

Salamun said about 400 people had been rehabilitated at the
school since it started the integrated programs two years ago.

"Our ex-patients keep coming for visits. We have become one
big family," Salamun added. (08)