SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1976
EVENING METHADONE DETOXIFICATION CLINICS
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THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. G.H. CHOA, TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT 12 EVENING METHADONE DETOXIFICATION CLENICS WOULD BE OPENED ON WEDNESDAY (JUNE 23) TO COPE WITH AN EXPECTED INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DRUG ADDICTS SEEKING TREATMENT.
THE OPENING OF THESE EVENING CLINICS FOLLOWS THAT OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S FIRST FULL-TIME METHADONE DETOXIFICATION CENTRE AT VIOLET PEEL CLINIC, WHICH CAME INTO OPERATION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH.
THE 12 NEW CLINICS — TWO ON THE ISLAND, NINE IN KOWLOON AND ONE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WOULD OPERATE FROM 6 P.M. TO 10 P.M. DAILY.
DR. CHOA SAID THERE WERE TWO MAIN REASONS FOR CHOOSING THE EVENING HOURS.
HE EXPLAINED THAT PAST EXPERIENCE WITH THE METHADONE MAINTENANCE SCHEME HAD SHOWN THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF THE METHADONE USERS CAME FOR THEIR DAILY DOSAGE AFTER 6 P.M.
+THEY MIGHT FIND IT MORE CONVENIENT TO ATTEND THE CLINICS EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER WORK, HE ADDED.
DR. CHOA SAID ANOTHER REASON WAS THAT BY OPERATING IN THE EVENING THE DEPARTMENT COULD MAKE USE OF EXISTING POLYCLINICS OR HEALTH CENTRES, LOCATED IN ALMOST EVERY DISTRICT, WHICH ARE CLOSED AFTER 5 P.M.
IT WOULD ALSO ENABLE GOVERNMENT DOCTORS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THIS PROJECT WITHOUT INTERFERING WITH THEIR NORMAL DUTIES, HE SAID.
THE 12 CENTRES ARE LOCATED IN AREAS WHERE THE ADDICT POPULATION IS THOUGHT TO BE COMPARATIVELY LARGE. THEY ARE IN EXISTING GOVERNMENT CLINICS AT CHAI WAN AND WAN CHAI ON THE ISLAND, CHEUNG SHA WAN, KWUN TONG, KOWLOON CITY, TSZ WAN SHAN, MONG KOK, SHAM SHUI PO, SHEK KIP MEI, WANG TAU HOM AND YAU MA TEI IN KOWLOON AND NORTH KWAI CHUNG IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
EACH OF THESE CENTRES WILL BE MANNED BY A DOCTOR AND THREE AUXILIARY MEDICAL SERVICES MEMBERS COMPRISING ONE ASSISTANT NURSE AND TWO ASSISTANT DRESSERS.
DR. CHOA ESTIMATED THAT EACH CENTRE, AT FULL STRETCH, WOULD BE ABLE TO COPE WITH ABOUT 150 ATTENDANCES EACH EVENING.
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