XN000022-1978-08-06 — Page 2

SUNDAY, AUGUST 6, 1978

COMPUTERISED PROGRAMME TO GIVE AN INSIGHT INTO DRUGS PROBLEM

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THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-NARCOTICS POLICY-MAKERS ARE AWAITING THE FIRST SERIES OF REPORTS FROM A NEW AND FULLY COMPUTER ISED DRUG ABUSE RESEARCH PROGRAMME WHICH PROMISES TO GIVE THEM A COMPREHENSIVE INSIGHT INTO THE DRUG PROBLEM IN HONG KONG.

COMPUTER PRINT-OUTS WILL BE POURING OUT FROM THE GOVERNMENT'S DATA PROCESSING DIVISION IN THE FORM OF HUNDREDS OF STATISTICAL TABLES OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, TO REVEAL A MORE DETAILED, UP-TO-DATE PICTURE OF THE TRENDS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LOCAL DRUG PROBLEM. THEY WILL ALSO PROVIDE AN INDICATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VARIOUS EXISTING TREATMENT AND PREVENTION PROGRAMMES,

THIS RESERVOIR OF VALUABLE INFORMATION IS A RESULT OF 30 MONTHS OF HARD WORK BY THE NARCOTICS DIVISION OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT TO FULLY RE-ORGANISE AND COMPUTERISE ITS RESEARCH MACHINERY - THE CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ADDICTS (CRDA).

THE CRDA, IN ITS NEW AND COMPUTERISED FORM, IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN ASIA.

THE RE-ORGANISATION BEGAN IN APRIL 1976 WHEN THE NARCOTICS DIVISION, AND A SWEDISH-AMERICAN CONSULTANT, MR. BENT WERBELL, SPENT FOUR MONTHS IN PRODUCING A MASTER PLAN FOR A NEW DATA COLLECTION PROCESS, A COMPUTER SYSTEM AND STAFF REQUIREMENT TO RUN THE NEW REGISTRY.

THE COLLECTION OF RECORDS ON DRUG ADDICTS FOR COMPUTER ANALYSIS BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER 1976. UP TO THE MIDDLE OF LAST MONTH, MORE THAN 58,000 RECORDS HAD BEEN COLLECTED ON ABOUT 28,000 ADDICTS WHO CAME INTO CONTACT WITH 21 GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENT AGENCIES DEALING IN ANTI-NARCOTICS WORK, INCLUDING LAW

ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION ORGANISATIONS, SOCIAL WELFARE BODIES AND HOSPITALS.

THROUGH A SPECIALLY-DESIGNED COMPUTER SYSTEM WHICH IS UNIQUE IN HONG KONG, THESE RECORDS ARE NOW BEING PROCESSED INTO

THE REGISTRY'S DATA BACH WILL PROVIDE RELIABLE MATERIAL,

FOR THE FIRST TIME, ON WHICH ANTI-NARCOTICS POLICIES CAN BE FORMULATED. AND FROM WHICH ASSESSMENTS CAN BE MADE OF SUBSEQUENT IMPLEMENTATION.

THE DATA WILL, FOR INSTANCE, INDICATE THE TYPICAL PROFILE OF DRUG ADDICTS, CHANGES IN THE TYPES OF DRUGS BEING ABUSED, AND WHETHER ABUSE IS SPREADING TO PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN AREAS.

/A SPOKESMÄ