Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Social Affairs Ministry has changed the service and rehabilitation scheme for victims of illegal drug abuse, such as narcotics, psychotropics, and other addictive substances.

"We have a new organizational structure for savings. For instance, we deal with a large number of drug abuse victims, but (the number of rehabilitation patients) is not as many as the poor people we handle, so we merge them (in terms of the organizational structure)," Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini stated here on Saturday.

Based on Ministerial Regulation No.1 of 2022, the Obligatory Report Receiving Institution (IPWL) shifted from being under the auspices of the Directorate of Social Rehabilitation for Victims of Drug Abuse, to under the Directorate of Social Rehabilitation for Victims of Disaster and Emergency.

Meanwhile, Ministerial Regulation No. 7 of 2022 stipulates that Social Rehabilitation Assistance or ATENSI services must be carried out by responding to various social problems that require immediate and urgent treatment.

In accordance with the regulation, the ministry conducted a review, from the aspects of institution, human resources, and the assistance scheme for drug abuse victims.

"There is one who deals with drug abuse victims and another that deals with female migrant workers (TKW), who encounter problems, and another deals with assault victims. With Ministerial Regulation No. 7 of 2022 concerning ATENSI services, we mandate that the (social) centers can be multi-service," Rismaharini explained.

The ministry will also scrutinize the application for the social welfare institution (LKS) establishment as an IPWL by referring to Government Regulation No. 25 of 2011.

Social welfare institutions that have been designated as IPWL will be evaluated and supervised in terms of service quality by the Ministry, the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), and other related agencies.

In 2021, ATENSI, amounting to Rp42.8 billion, was distributed for drug abuse victims. In 2022, the distributed assistance for drug abuse victims and drug abuse victims with HIV had reached Rp36.1 billion.

Related news: BNN destroys 140 kg of drugs seized in May-July
Related news: Attorney General presses for rehabilitation of drug addicts

Translator: Devi R, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2023