DOH, LTO join forces vs drugs

The Department of Health (DOH) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) have joined forces to ensure that drug users will not be able to get their driver’s license.

The two agencies have launched a project that involves their sharing of information about applicants for driver’s license who undergo the required drug examination.

Dr. Benjie Reyes, special health program manager of the DOH for its anti-drug abuse program, said the project was designed to allow the LTO personnel to easily validate the results of drug tests presented to them by applicants.

Under the project, the DOH will forward the information about applicants who pass the drug tests through a networking scheme.

Reyes noted the DOH’s Drug Test Operations and Management Information System (DTOMIS) would be hooked up to the computer system of the LTO for easy access.

"Applicants who test positive for drugs sometimes submit a fake result to the LTO.   With this system, the LTO can validate such result.  If their names don’t appear in our records, that means they did not pass the test," he told The STAR.

Under Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, the DOH has been tasked to accredit and supervise drug testing centers. The law was intended to minimize accidents caused by drivers who are drug users.

The tie-up also involved the eradication of "fixers" who work for drug testing companies. These people act as callers that look out for possible customers.

DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III maintained the project is only the initial step to "professionalize the drug testing activities in the country."

The two agencies are hopeful that by flushing out fixers, the cost of drug testing in private laboratories would go down.

Reyes added that while government hospitals charge only P180 for drug testing, private laboratories charge P250 because fixers are given commissions for every customer that they get.

The DOH has directed drug-testing centers to get rid of fixers or face sanctions.

Reyes maintained the DOH would conduct surprise inspections to determine which centers comply with the directive.