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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1988

ANTI-AIDS SEMINAR FOR DRUG TREATMENT WORKERS

MORE THAN 300 WORKERS IN TREATMENT PROGRAMMES FOR DRUG ABUSERS THIS (SATURDAY) AFTERNOON ATTENDED A SEMINAR ON THE AIDS DISEASE.

THE SEMINAR, WHICH FORMED PART OF A PROGRAMME OF THE COMMUNITY AIDS CONCERN WEEK, AIMED TO ENHANCE THE UNDERSTANDING OF WORKERS ABOUT AIDS AND TO BRING THEM UP-TO-DATE WITH RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD INCLUDING HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMMES.

GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES PROVIDING TREATMENT PROGRAMMES FOR DRUG ABUSERS WERE BROUGHT TOGETHER IN THE SEMINAR TO BRING ABOUT AGENCY-WIDE DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUES ON AIDS.

THE SEMINAR ON AIDS FOR WORKERS IN TREATMENT PROGRAMMES FOR DRUG ABUSERS WAS OPENED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS' SUB-COMMITTER ON PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY, MR J.P. LEE.

MR LEE PRAISED THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR PRODUCING AN INTENSIVE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN ON AIDS.

HE SAID EDUCATION ON AIDS HAD STARTED AS SOON AS THE DEPARTMENT WAS ALERTED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE.

EDUCATION HAD SINCE ENCOMPASSED THE CO-ORDINATION OF EFFORTS OF VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND THE USE OF VARIOUS PUBLICITY METHODS.

MR LEE DESCRIBED AS UNPRECEDENTED THE EFFORTS BY THE STEERING COMMITTEE ON THE COMMUNITY AIDS CONCERN WEEK IN STEPS TO COMBAT AIDS AND TO MAKE IT THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERN.

OTHER SPEAKERS AT THIS AFTERNOON'S SEMINAR INCLUDED THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (NARCOTICS), DR 9.C. LEUNG SENIOR MEDICAL OFFICER OF AIDS COUNSELLING SERVICE, DR PATRICK LI; AND SENIOR MEDICAL OFFICER OF THE CENTRAL HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT, DR C.M. NGAN.

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