The Regional Secretary for Health signed today a cooperation agreement with the Regional Association for Rehabilitation and Socio-Cultural Integration of the Azores (ARRISCA) in the amount of 500 thousand Euros for the fight against drug addiction.

Luís Cabral said that this sum encompasses "the investment plan provided by the Regional Secretariat for Health for this specific area, which corresponds to a total of one million Euros, taking into account the work carried by this institution and the provision of responses."

On the other hand, the government official stressed that the agreement signed today, which will enter into force next year, "introduces some changes to the current funding for this area since the aim is to make a distribution of the funds available for investment per patient."

"Instead of making separate investments for each of the activities the patient will carry out, an amount is stipulated to finance the full treatment of this patient," stated the Regional Government.

According to Luís Cabral, the protocol signed today still reflects the role played by ARRISCA in terms of drug rehabilitation treatments. The government official considered that this institution has carried out an effective and efficient monitoring of these treatments."

This protocol is intended "to provide methadone treatment to those who, unfortunately, are battling drug addiction. Additionally, this institution will also promote secondary prevention for youngsters in rehabilitation, allowing them to gradually stop using illicit substances."

Luís Cabral said the criticism on the Government's strategies is unfair, stressing "the need defended by all parties in the process, which is to rethink strategies and understand their results."

For the Regional Secretary for Health, it is not worth investing in strategies that do not show concrete results or the latter are not targeted to meet the proposed goals."

In the field of prevention, the Regional Health Plan provides an allocation of 100 thousand Euros to strengthen the collaboration with national and international organisations that have already developed programmes with consistent results that may bring added value to the Azores.

Luís Cabral also announced that a new programme will be presented this week by the Regional Directorate for Health in order to prevent youngsters from being exposed to tobacco smoke. This project aims to combine the principles of education and health by promoting them in the context of school health.