MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1979
MR. LEE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH ATTENDANCE AT ALL 20 METHADONE CENTRES HAD INCREASED RAPIDLY SINCE JUNE THIS YEAR, THERE IS STILL SPARE CAPACITY IN MOST OF THEM, EXCEPT THE VIOLET PEEL CLINIC (WAN CHAI), SIR ROBERT BLACK CLINIC (SAN PO KONG), EASTERN STREET CLINIC (WESTERN) AND LADY TRENCH CLINIC (TSUEN WAN).
+THE A.C.A.N. IS SATISFIED THAT ALL METHADONE PATIENTS ARE HANDLED EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY AND THAT NO ADDICT HAS BEEN TURNED AWAY. ABOUT 8 000 PATIENTS ATTEND THE METHADONE CENTRES PER DAY, AS OPPOSED TO 5 000 DAILY IN JUNE, AN INCREASE OF OVER 60 PER CENT IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS.
→THE A.C.A.N. ALSO WELCOMED THE EXPANSION BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF TWO METHADONE CENTRES IN KOWLOON (LI PO CHUN IN ARRAN STREET AND SHAM SHUI PO PUBLIC DISPENSARY IN YEE KUK STREET) TO FULL-DAY CENTRES FROM AUGUST 20 THIS YEAR, AND CONSIDERS THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO MEET INCREASING DEMAND IN THE NORTH-WEST KOWLOON AREA,+ HE SAID.
MR. LEE WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT ADEQUATE URINE ANALYSIS FACILITIES ARE VITAL FOR THE EFFECTIVE OPERATION OF THE METHADONE TREATMENT PROGRAMME. THE A.C.A.N. CONSIDERED THAT THE URINE TESTING FACILITIES AT THE EXISTING LABORATORY IN EASTERN STREET ON HONG KONG ISLAND ARE INADEQUATE.
+SINCE ACCOMMODATION AND TRAINED STAFF FOR THE NEW PROJECT. IN HOMANTIN ARE ALREADY. AVAILABLE, THE A.C.A.N. CONSIDERED THAT FUNDS SHOULD BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY FOR THE FITTING-OUT OF THE NEW LABORATORY, AND THE PURCHASE OF ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT.+
AT ITS EXTRAORDINARY MEETING LAST MONTH, THE A.C.A.N. ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE AUTHORISED INTAKE OF PATIENTS AT S.A.R.D.A.'S SHEK KWU CHAU TREATMENT CENTRE SHOULD BE INCREASED, THAT COOPERATION FROM GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS TO REPORT ADDICTS TO THE CENTRAL REGISTRY SHOULD BE SOUGHT, AND THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF RESEARCH INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DRUG ADDICTION AND CRIME SHOULD BE FURTHER CONSIDERED.
THE A.C.A.N., MR. LEE SAID, RECOMMENDED THAT THE APPROVED ACCOMMODATION OF THE SHEK KWU CHAU TREATMENT
CENTRE SHOULD BE INCREASED FROM 500 TO 600 FOR AN EXPERIMENTAL PERIOD OF ONE YEAR SUBJECT TO REVIEW,
COOPERATION FROM GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS IN REPORTING ADDICTS TO THE CENTRAL REGISTRY WOULD STILL FURTHER IMPROVE THE EXISTING DATA-BASE ON DRUG ADDICTS, HE SAID, AND THUS ENSURE EVEN MORE ACCURATE AND COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION TO POLICY-MAKERS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL ANTI-NARCOTICS PROGRAMMES. MR. LEE EMPHASISED THAT ALL INFORMATION SUPPLIED TO THE CENTRAL REGISTRY FROM ALL REPORTING SOURCES IS TREATED AS CONFIDENTIAL.
FURTHER RESEARCH INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DRUG ADDICTION AND CRIME IS ALSO BEING DISCUSSED BY THOSE INVOLVED, MR. LEE SAID.
15