FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 1979
TWO NEW METHADONE CENTRES FOR NORTHWEST KOWLOON
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TWO NEW FULL-TIME METHADONE CENTRES WILL BE OPENED AND FIVE EXISTING CENTRES WILL EXTEND THE OPERATING HOURS AS FROM MONDAY TO COPE WITH THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR METHADONE TREATMENT FACILITIES.
ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (FRIDAY), A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAID THE TWO NEW CENTRES WILL BE LOCATED AT THE DENSELY POPULATED NORTHWEST KOWLOON AREA WHERE THE DEMAND WAS PARTICULARLY GREAT.
THE TWO CENTRES
CLINIC IN MONG KOK AND
YEE KUK STREET WILL
ONE IN THE LI PO CHUN GENERAL OST-PATIENT THE OTHER IN THE SHAM SHUI PO DISPENSARY AT OPERATE FROM 7 A.M. TO 10 P.M.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT AT PRESENT METHADONE TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE AT FIVE EVENING CLINICS IN THE NORTHWEST KOWLOON REGION BETWEEN 6 P.M. AND 10 P.M. DAILY.
THE AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE AT THESE CLINICS HAS SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, FROM 818 IN JUNE TO 1,100 IN JULY AND 1,380 IN THE FIRST WEEK OF THIS MONTH.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID ATTENDANCE WOULD HAVE BEEN GREATER IF THERE WERE TREATMENT FACILITIES DURING THE DAY TIME TO CATER TO THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE EVENING CLINICS.
+THE INCREASING TREND IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE BECAUSE OF THE SUCCESS IN HONG KONG'S BATTLE AGAINST HERDIN, AND MORE FULL-TIME METHADONE CLINICS ARE NEEDED TO COPE WITH THE EXPECTED INCREASE IN DEMAND,+ HE SAID.
THE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO LOOKING INTO THE NEED FOR METHADONE CLINICS IN OTHER AREAS.
THERE ARE AT PRESENT FIVE FULL-TIME METHADONE CLINICS OPERATING BETWEEN 7.30 A.M. AND 9.30 P.M.
TWO ARE ON THE ISLAND VIOLET PEEL CLINIC IN WAN CHAI AND THE EASTERN STREET CLINIC IN WESTERN DISTRICT- ANOTHER TWO IN KOWLOON - THE ROBERT BLACK CLINIC IN SAN PO KONG AND THE HOMANTIN CLINIC IN PRINCESS MARGARET ROAD, AND ONE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES THE LADY TRENCH POLYCLINIC IN TSUEN WAN.
AS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT'S EXPANSION PLAN TO INCREASE METHADONE TREATMENT FACILITIES, THE OPERATING TIME OF THESE CLINICS WILL BE EXTENDED BY ONE HOUR FROM 7 A.M. TO 10 P.M. DAILY.
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THE OPERATING HOURS OF ALL 16 OTHER EVENING METHADONE CLINICS WILL REMAIN AT 6 P.M. TO 10 P.M. DAILY.
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