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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1974.
GOVERNMENT OPENS THREE MORE METHADONE MAINTENANCE CENTRES RESPONSE TO HEROIN FAMINE AS THOUSANDS UNABLE TO OBTAIN SUPPLIES
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THREE NEW METHADONE MAINTENANCE CENTRES ARE TO BE OPENED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT C MONDAY (DECEN ER 16) IN ADDITION TO THE CENTRE ALREADY IN CERATION AT HIGH STREET.
THE NEW CENTRES ARE LOCATED AT THE DEPARTMENT'S HO MAN TIN HEALTH CENTRE IN PRINCESS MARGARET LOAD- THE ROBERT BLACK HEALTH CENTRE IN SAN PO KONG AND THE LADY TRENCH POLYCLINIC IN TSUEN WAN.
THEY WILL FUNCTION AS OUT-PATIENT METHADONE MAINTENANCE CLINICS, AND WILL HAVE NO PROVISION FOR IN-PATIENTS, UNLIKE THE TRIAL SCHEME AT THE HIGH STREET CENTRE, WHERE PATIENTS ARE KEPT UNDER OBSERVATION FOR A PERIOD LASTING A FEW DAYS.
HOURS WILL BE BETWEEN 7 AM AND 9.30 PM DAILY. NO NEW PATIENTS WILL BE SEEN ON SATURDAY AFTERNOONS, SUNDAYS, AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, BUT THE CLINICS WILL REMAIN OPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR MINISTRATION OF THE DAILY DOSAGE IN ORAL FORM AT A COST OF $1 A VISIT.
NEW PATIENTS SHOULD ATTEND BETWEEN 9 AM AND 5 PM, EXCEPT ON HOLIDAYS. THEY ARE ASKED TO BRING ALONG WITH THEM IDENTITY CARDS AND THREE PASSPORT PHOTOGRAPHS. AS WITH HIGH STREET, THE CENTRES WILL TREAT ONLY MALE ADDICTS.
IT IS EXPECTED THAT WHEN THEIR OPENING BECOMES WIDELY KNOWN EXTENSIVE PUBLICITY IS ENVISAGED EACH WILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE A MAXIMUM OF 1,000 OUT-PATIENTS A DAY.
+THIS IS AN EMERGENCY MEASURE, TAKEN ON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS, + DR. GERALD CHOA, DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, SAID TODAY.
+THE REASON IS THAT RECENT SUCCESSFUL POLICE ACTION RESULTING IN THE ARREST OF A NUMBER OF ALLEGED PRINCIPALS IN THE ILLICIT DRUG TRADE IS THOUGHT TO HAVE DESTROYED THE MANAGEMENT AND SOURCE OF FINANCIAL BACKING OF THE SYNDICATES ENGAGED IN THE SMUGGLING OF OPIUM AND CRUDE MORPHINE INTO HONG KONG IN VAST QUANTITIES.
+THE FACT IS THAT THERE IS NOW A HEROIN FAMINE, AND THOUSANDS OF ADDICTS ARE UNABLE TO OBTAIN THEIR USUAL SUPPLIES, IF INDEED ANY SUPPLIES AT ALL.+
THIS, DR. CHOA EXPLAINED, HAD PRODUCED A ''FAVOURABLE”' SITUATION IN WHICH ADDICTS WERE LIKELY TO SEEK TREATMENT TO ALLEVIATE THE SEVERE PAINS AND STRESS OF THE WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME.
IF TREATMENT WERE NOT AVAILABLE, NUMBERS OF ADDICTS COULD TURN TO CRIME TO GET MONEY TO BUY SUCH HIGHLY-PRICED HEROIN AS COULD BE FOUND WHICH, IN TURN, WOULD AGGRAVATE AN ALREADY ACUTE OVERCROWDING SITUATION IN THE PRISONS.+
/DR. CHOA