The Impact of Drugs in Peru

Rehabilitation and Treatment

There are different public and private institutions in the country fighting against drug abuse on the level of primary prevention. The programs presented by CEDRO in this Web page show the different primary prevention strategies offered by the institution.

Peru has a number of institutions working on third- level prevention. (Rehabilitation, treatment, reinsertion). These are hospitals, clinics, therapeutic communities, and care centers that in a significant proportion have incorporated the self-help methodology, but also put emphasis on specific components according to the ideas of the ones in charge.

Through 'Lugar de Escucha', CEDRO offers consultation services to the public on addiction cases, with the purpose of offering counsel and guidance for those who directly or indirectly are affected by drug abuse. The assistance has the purpose to channel demands for specialized services, reinforcing and/or increasing the motivation level of patients, as well as the commitment of group members he/she is part of, so that both the patient and the group be part of the treatment process, a most important factor for the recovery of the person.

Therapeutic communities are private institutions and in the most part non-professional with the purpose of rehabilitating drug users. Usually they apply psychosocial techniques and a strong religious orientation, making possible the cohesion of groups and maintaining leaderships, critical for the organization's survival.

Said institutions develop a mixed model, with in-patients in the first phase of treatment and outpatients during the follow-up phase. The source of group funds come from: a) cash from the patients families; b) private individuals and companies donations; c) self-sustainable activities such as orchards and providing menial work; and d) state-welfare organizations subsidies such as food rations.

One of the most critical problems associated to therapeutic communities refers to the level of informality for the development of their work. Certainly, only a very small percentage of centers (approximately 20) are duly registered with the health authorities, probably because the requirements legality application is very complicated and the charges too high.

In the case of several Therapeutic Communities the situation of informality and lack of professional staff has favored inhumane practices with patients; there are several reports of physical abuse and even death of patients. Many times therapeutic communities promoters and directors are ex-addicts that believe that "only an addict understands an addict"; with a very low budged they open business and start to capture patients. Low costs and family's desperation of those having an addict member has favored the creation of this type of centers.

Several evaluations have been made on the quality of the services provided by therapeutic communities. Results show that most of the organizations do not offer the adequate conditions necessary for patients housing and board; also they do not have a timely medical or psychological supervision. It is very common to find lack of a standard treatment protocol, and there are no tutoring and follow-up programs, factors contributing to the restrictive effectiveness of this type or organization.

That is the reason why with international support the State, civil organizations, and universities are developing training programs for therapeutic community staff in order to improve the quality of the services provided by them.

CONCLUSION: drug issues have multiple dimensions. It is closely related to quality of life, gobernability, and the public and social health of the nation. Has an obvious relationship with the sustainability of the peoples and their ecology. It distorts the economy of a country and harms the habitat with violence. It attacks its own family and produces pain within the family, by earlier starting the age of consumption. That is why it has to be addressed in an integral manner, by means of different programs and activities that will promote among the population the desire to be change and development agents.
The participation of other associates (countries and institutions) is essential within the perspective of shared responsibility, believing that humanity, as a whole, is our most important patrimony.

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