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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1976
OPENING OF TWO MORE METHADONE DETOXIFICATION CENTRES
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THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT TWO MORE METHADONE DETOXIFICATION CENTRES WILL BE OPENED FROM NEXT MONDAY TO PROVIDE TREATMENT FOR DRUG ADDICTS IN THE RURAL AREAS.
BOTH CENTRES ARE LOCATED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, ONE AT SKEK WU HUI HEALTH CENTRE, JOCKEY CLUB ROAD, SHEUNG SHUI, AND THE OTHER AT TUEN MUN HEALTH CENTRE, SUN CHING AVENUE, TUEN MUN NEW TOWN. SAME AS THE 14 OTHER DETOXIFICATION CENTRES THROUGHOUT HONG KONG, THESE TWO CENTRES WILL OPERATE FROM 6 P.M. TO 10 P.M. EACH DAY, INCLUDING SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS.
THE TWO NEW CENTRES WILL COMPLEMENT THE EXISTING ONE IN TSUEN WAN IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WHERE THE POPULATION WELL EXCEEDS ONE MILLION.
COMMENTING ON THE OPENING OF THE NEW CENTRES, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. G.H. CHOA, SAID IT WAS GRATIFYING TO NOTE THAT THERE HAD BEEN A STEADY INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DRUG ADDICTS SEEKING DETOXIFICATION TREATMENT.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE TOTAL REGISTRATION FOR THE DETOXIFI- CATION PROGRAMME HAD INCREASED BY ALMOST 1,000 TO 5,550 DURING THE PAST MONTH.
DR. CHOA PRAISED THE ROLE PLAYED BY MEMBERS OF THE AUXILIARY MEDICAL SERVICE WHO ARE HELPING OUT IN THE DETOXIFICATION CENTRES.
SOME 60 A.M.S. MEMBERS ARE MOBILISED EACH DAY TO MAN FOUR METHADONE MAINTENANCE CENTRES, TWO DAYTIME DETOXIFICATION CENTRES AND 14 EVENING DETOXIFICATION CENTRES.
THEIR DUTIES INCLUDE GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND RECORD KEEPING, REGISTRATION OF ADDICTS SEEKING TREATMENT, DISPENSING OF METHADONE DOSAGES AS INSTRUCTED BY THE ATTENDING MEDICAL OFFICERS, AND OTHER CLINICAL DUTIES.
ALL A.M.S. MEMBERS TAKING PART IN THE PROGRAMME ARE GIVEN SPECIALISED TRAINING AND ARE REQUIRED TO WORK AT LEAST SEVEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS TO ENSURE CONTINUITY IN THE WORK.
DR. CHOA SAID HE WAS GREATLY IMPRESSED BY THE EFFICIENT MANNER WITH WHICH A.M.S. MEMBERS HAVE PERFORMED THEIR DUTIES.
THE AUXILIARY MEDICAL SERVICE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE METHADONE SCHEME SINCE DECEMBER 1974 WHEN FOUR METHADONE MAINTENANCE CENTRES WERE OPENED.
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