Camp Addicts Fled From Had Two Warnings / Only 10% Effect of Article 16 Addiction Treatment Camps

The large number of compulsory Article 16 addiction treatment camps in Razavi Khorasan has not improved the quality of their services, and addicts seemingly prefer homelessness to enduring the conditions of these camps.

From inside the yard, they hook their feet somewhere and pull themselves up through the rather high door of the center with their hands, they quickly hang themselves from the other side of the door, jump on the ground and then run away on the side of the road. This is a multi-line description of the content of the clip that was circulated online this September; Mehdi Borji, Director General of Khorasan Razavi Welfare, announced at the same time about this issue: "Seventy drug addicts have escaped during rush hour while fighting with the guards."

He also said that Article 16 camps are at the disposal of the anti-narcotics headquarters and that welfare has a supervisory role. So, with this account, part of the main questions goes back to this organization, how are the supervisions carried out when we have witnessed the escape of these addicts from the center?

Another point is that since last year, the de-addiction centers of Article 16 were supposed to be designated, but this matter remained half-finished; Last year, Borji Khordad announced the suspension of the development policy of Article 16 camps; Because the cost of forced camps was heavy and their output was close to zero; At the same time, it was announced that the monitoring and evaluation committee will review the conditions of these centers to determine whether they have the necessary criteria for license renewal or not, and of course, a one-month deadline was also considered for this. But in the end, these promises remained fruitless, and Shaharara's follow-up from the welfare organization showed that the non-payment of part of the demands of these centers is the reason for the unfinished business.

Razavi Khorasan has half of the forced camps in the country

According to the latest statistics, the number of Article 16 drug addiction camps in our province reaches seventeen, and on the other hand, Tehran, with its size and as a result, more population, has only five compulsory camps. In addition, according to Khorasan Razavi's welfare statement, half of the country's Article 16 camps are located in this province, however, the recent incident of a number of drug addicts escaping from the camp shows that the large number of forced camps has not led to an increase in the quality of their services, and drug addicts seem to prefer homelessness to the conditions of these camps.

This is while the issue of improving the quality of Article 16 centers has been emphasized at the national level. This August, in the meeting of the national committee for the coordination of Article 16 centers, it was emphasized that the development of these centers should not be limited to increasing the number of beds, and the improvement of the quality of services and the provision of centers with suitable facilities for screening, detoxification and treatment, as well as compliance with the necessary standards, should be considered.

According to Mohammad Ghafarizadeh, the vice president of social health and welfare of the province, in July last year, the monthly cost of maintaining Article 16 centers was 15 billion tomans, and 60% of the subsidy for these centers is provided by the anti-narcotics headquarters, and the remaining 40% is paid by the municipalities.

These costs and the need to save by reducing the number of Article 16 centers may become more apparent when we know that the effective output of compulsory camps is about 5 to 10 percent according to the general director of welfare of the province. Now, add to this data the fact that Bahman last year had warned that "expensive costs may lead to the closure of many welfare maintenance centers." The sum of these numbers and comments creates a specific question; With what quality and standard do the centers that cost a lot of money to maintain continue to operate?

Reducing the number of forced camps in the province

Khorasan Welfare Director General Razavi starts his speech by presenting statistics and informs about 21 Article 16 camps last year, although the statistics of the number of these camps last year were 23. He says: This difference in statistics is due to the fact that screening centers (entrance centers) are also included in the Article 16 camps. As a result of the monitoring by the Welfare Organization and the Anti-Narcotics Coordination Council, it has been decided to consolidate the camps as much as possible to provide better quality services.

Referring to these inspections, Borji announces the current number of camps as seventeen and continues: two women's camps have also been reduced to one camp. However, the main reason for the non-assignment of the Article 16 centers last year was the non-payment of part of their financial claims, which Borji states in this regard: The claims of the camps are related to the years 1401 and 1402, and Mashhad Municipality was supposed to pay 40% of the costs, but unfortunately it has not been paid yet.

For the year 1403, the demands of a large number of camps in Mashhad have been paid and settled; Also, we have no debt to the camps for the year 1404, and a large part of their demands have been paid this year as well. "Last year, a camp with a capacity of 300 people could accept up to 350 or even 400 people." Borji expresses this issue and says: This year, we have emphasized that the camps are not allowed to accept more than the designated capacity.

The camp from which the addicts escaped was about to be closed

He believes that most of the forced camps in Mashhad have the minimum standards, now the question is, what was the condition of the camp that drug addicts escaped from recently? He answers: This camp was in our monitoring stage and two warnings were given to it, so it was on the verge of closing and if the escape of the addicts did not happen, a week or two later, we would have had to transfer the addicts to another center due to non-compliance with the standards. But why didn't this closure take place earlier so that we don't see the escape of drug addicts?

He states: Because we have to set a time for them after every warning, and we only act critically for this if the lives of addicts are in danger in that center. For Article 16 centers, the warning is announced by the Anti-Narcotics Coordination Council and for Article 15 centers through welfare, so I can say only about Article 15 centers that we give them at least two or three warnings, the first or second warning, in each meeting.

After the release of that video, there were rumors that some drug addicts were infected with a contagious disease and more drug addicts escaped than the official statistics, however, in response to these issues, Borji says: I do not confirm or deny the issue of the disease; Because there is a representative of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in the monitoring committee and they do the necessary investigation. About the number, I have to check again, but the figure that was given to us that day was seventy people. This center had a capacity of 235 people, and after a number of addicts escaped, we moved about 150 more people.

"The decision on the continuation of the activity of this camp is made in the Anti-Narcotics Coordination Council, but for now, because the capacity of other camps is empty, we have moved the addicts." Borji says these sentences and cites Hasan Abad camp as an example of the Article 16 camp that operates beyond the standards and says: This camp has the capacity to accept 1000 addicts.

Whenever there is talk about compulsory addiction treatment centers, the issue of the effectiveness of these centers always comes up. Borji says about this: the existence of these centers is good from a moral and human point of view; Because if the addicts are not organized, their death may increase, but regarding the output of the camps, other devices should also come to work in order to have a better situation in the field of prevention and after discharge, so even if the positive output of these centers is 5 to 10%, it is valuable. Shahrara's follow-up to get an answer from the Anti-Narcotics Coordinating Council was not successful in this regard.

billion cost; Little effectiveness

Consolidating Article 16 camps and reducing their number to 17 centers has not yet been able to give a clear answer to the main question about the quality of services and the effectiveness of these centers. According to Mehdi Borji, Director General of Khorasan Razavi Welfare, the effective output of these camps is only five to 10 percent; A statistic that, along with the monthly cost of 15 billion tomans for their maintenance, makes doubts about the appropriateness of the cost and the result more serious.

Of course, part of the inefficiency is due to financial problems, including the non-payment of the claims of the centers and the increase in costs; But the budget limitation cannot leave unanswered questions about the quality of supervision, compliance with standards and the effectiveness of the treatment process.