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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1992
OBJECTIVES OF METHADONE TREATMENT PROGRAMME EXPLAINED * * * * *
THE METHADONE PROGRAMME IS TREATMENT INSTITUTION IN HONG KONG.
THE LARGEST
AND MOST POPULAR
THIS WAS STATED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS, MR KEN WOODHOUSE, AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF ADMIRALTY TODAY (FRIDAY).
HE SAID IN 1991, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ADMISSIONS TO ALL OF OUR TREATMENT INSTITUTIONS WAS OVER 14,000; THE METHADONE PROGRAMME ACCOUNTED FOR NEARLY 10,000, OR 70%, OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF
ADMISSIONS.
THE USE OF METHADONE FOR THE TREATMENT OF DRUG ADDICTS OUT-PATIENT BASIS STARTED IN HONG KONG IN LATE 1972.
ON AN
SINCE THEN, THE PROGRAMME HAS BEEN EXPANDED то COPE WITH INCREASES IN DEMAND, MAKING IT THE LARGEST OF THE TREATMENT PROGRAMMES IN HONG KONG.
THERE ARE NOW 25 METHADONE CLINICS IN HONG KONG, FOUR ON HONG KONG ISLAND, 13 IN KOWLOON AND EIGHT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
THE PROGRAMME HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS, BUT IT IS
STILL WIDELY MISUNDERSTOOD AND NOT GENERALLY SEEN FOR THE SUCCESS THAT IT IS, MR WOODHOUSE SAID.
DRUG
THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF METHADONE TREATMENT IS TO PROVIDE ADDICTS WITH A READILY ACCESSIBLE, LEGAL, MEDICALLY SAFE AND EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO CONTINUE ILLICIT SELF-ADMINISTRATION OF HEROIN,
TO
MR WOODHOUSE ALSO EXPLAINED THAT METHADONE PERMITS PATIENTS WORK AND TO ACHIEVE SOME SORT OF SOCIAL STABILITY AS A CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY.
IT IS PARTICULARLY USEFUL BECAUSE IT ENABLES THOSE FROM DRUG DEPENDENCY TO BE EMPLOYED GAINFULLY AND THUS RELATIVELY NORMAL LIFE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES; ABOUT 65% OF THE PATIENTS ATTENDING METHADONE CLINICS ARE EMPLOYED, HE SAID.
SUFFERING REGAIN A IN FACT, GAINFULLY
ALL THE 25 METHADONE CLINICS ARE IN OPERATION SEVEN DAYS A WEEK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND, DURING TYPHOON, 12 CLINICS REMAIN OPEN то PROVIDE EMERGENCY TREATMENT.
ᎢᎻᎪᎢ . AT ALL WERE
NOT
MR WOODHOUSE SAID THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO ENSURE TIMES, PATIENTS HAD RECOURSE TO METHADONE TREATMENT AND FORCED BACK ONTO DRUGS.
MAY
OPT
ALTHOUGH
THE
PATIENTS ATTENDING THE METHADONE TREATMENT PROGRAMME FOR EITHER DETOXIFICATION OR MAINTENANCE TREATMENT, MAJORITY CHOOSE THE LATTER.
/THESE SHOULD