'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)