XN000022-1974-12-30 — Page 5

MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1974

SECOND WEEK OF METHADONE MAINTENANCE AT THREE CENTRES HOLIDAYS PROBABLY ACCOUNT FOR DROP IN OLD AND NEW CASES ***** }}

VOLUNTEERS AT THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S THREE METHADONE MAINTENANCE CENTRES IN TSUEN WAN, HO MAN TIN AND SAN PO KONG DROPPED DURING THE WEEK ENDING ON DECEMBER 29, ACCORDING TO STATISTICS RELEASED TODAY,

FIGURES SHOW THAT 75 VOLUNTEERS ATTENDED AT THE LADY TRENCH POLY-CLINIC IN TSUEN WAN, 71 AT THE HO MAN TIN HEALTH CENTRE IN HO MAN TIN, AND 93 AT THE ROBERT BLACK HEALTH CENTRE IN SAN PO KONG A TOTAL OF 239.

IN THE FIRST WEEK OF OPERATION, BETWEEN DECEMBER 16 AND 22, THE TOTAL WAS 388.

PATIENTS RETURNING FOR DAILY TREATMENT DURING THE SECOND WEEK TOTALLED 80 PER CENT, COMPARED WITH 92.5 PER CENT DURING THE FIRST WEEK.

A SPOKESMAN SAID THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE VOLUNTEERS DID NOT REALISE ALL THREE CENTRES HAD REMAINED OPEN ON CHRISTMAS DAY AND BOXING DAY TO SUPPLY THE DAILY DOSAGE TO OLD PATIENTS, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE CLOSED FOR THE PROCESSING OF KEW PATIENTS.

WE HAVE TRIED TO MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THE CENTRES REMAIN OPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR OLD PATIENTS COMING BACK FOR THEIR DAILY DOSAGE, HE EXPLAINED, AND WE HOPE THE POSITION WILL NOW BECOME CLEARER TO THEM.

ONLY THREE VOLUNTEERS WERE DEEMED UNSUITABLE FOR TREATMENT LAST WEEK. TWO WERE AT THE HO MAN TIN HEALTH CENTRE, AND ONE AT THE ROBERT BLACK HEALTH CENTRE.

ONE VOLUNTEER AT THE HO MAN TIN HEALTH CENTRE WAS FOUND TO BE TOO OLD FOR TREATMENT AT 77, AND THE OTHER AT THE SAME CENTRE HAD AN ADDICTION HISTORY OF LESS THAN A YEAR.

THE VOLUNTEER REJECTED AT THE ROBERT BLACK HEALTH CENTRE WAS FOUND TO BE SUFFERING FROM JAUNDICE, AND HE WAS REFERRED TO A MEDICAL CLINIC INSTEAD.

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