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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1992
THE
THESE SHOULD NOT BE LOOKED ON AS MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE OPTIONS, BECAUSE, IN PRACTICE, PATIENTS VARY FROM ONE MODE OF TREATMENT TO OTHER, DEPENDING ON THEIR DEGREE OF MOTIVATION.
MEDICAL STAFF IN THE METHADONE CLINICS ADMINISTER THE APPROPRIATE DOSAGE OF METHADONE ACCORDING TO THE PATIENT'S CONDITIONS.
THIS VARIES BETWEEN ABOUT FIVE AND 100 MILLIGRAMMES. METHADONE IS ADMINISTERED IN A LINCTUS, OR SYRUP, WHICH, UNTIL ORANGE-COLOURED. WE HAVE RECENTLY CHANGED THE COLOUR TO GREEN.
RECENTLY,
WAS
SOCIAL WORKERS AT THE CLINICS HELP PATIENTS BY PROVIDING COUNSELLING AND REFERRAL SERVICES FOR APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF SOCIAL ASSISTANCE.
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THE PATIENTS' CONDITION IS CLOSELY MONITORED AND PATIENTS WHO DEMONSTRATE THEIR DETERMINATION TO SHED THEIR DRUG ADDICTION ARE ENCOURAGED TO JOIN IN-PATIENT DETOXIFICATION PROGRAMMES.
"BY PROVIDING PATIENTS WITH A LEGAL. READILY AVAILABLE ALTERNATIVE TO HEROIN, THE METHADONE TREATMENT CENTRES HELP REDUCE THE DEMAND FOR DRUGS, HE ADDED.
M
IN RECENT YEARS, THE METHADONE TREATMENT PROGRAMME HAS ALSO PROVED TO HAVE PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN CONTROLLING THE SPREAD OF AIDS AMONG THE INTRAVENOUS DRUG POPULATION.
WHILE THERE HAS BEEN AN EXPLOSION OF AIDS AMONG DRUG ABUSING
ALL OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, THE PROPORTION DRUG ABUSERS IN HONG KONG IS VERY LOW, MR
POPULATION IN VICTIMS AMONG
SAID.
OF AIDS WOODHOUSE
OUT OF
THE 310 CONFIRMED AIDS OR HIV POSITIVE CASES KONG, ONLY SIX ARE DRUG ABUSERS.
IN HONG
TO
MR WOODHOUSE POINTED OUT THAT THE TOTAL COST OF OUR METHADONE TREATMENT PROGRAMME IS ABOUT $21 MILLION PER ANNUM; WHEN COMPARED THE CONSEQUENCES OF DRUG ADDICTION TO THE COMMUNITY THE COST OF TREATMENT IS INSIGNIFICANT.
"HONG KONG HAS BEEN PRAISED INTERNATIONALLY COMPREHENSIVE, AND PRAGMATIC APPROACH TO TREATMENT SERVICES.
FOR
ITS
"WHILE THE GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED TO MAINTAIN THESE FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER FROM DRUG DEPENDENCY, THEIR SUCCESSFUL OPERATION WILL INEVITABLY BE BOOSTED BY THE SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITY," HE SAID.
SERVICES
OF THE
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