XN000022-1991-04-15 — Page 11

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MONDAY, APRIL 15, 1991

BEING A KEEN

ADVOCATE OF METHADONE MAINTENANCE TREATMENT PROGRAMME IN GERMANY, PROF BSCHOR SAID: "HONG KONG HAS SET AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE IN PROVIDING TREATMENT FACILITIES ΤΟ EVERY DRUG ABUSER. THIS IS A GOAL FOR GERMANY IN THE FUTURE.

IN

HE WAS TOLD THAT THE LOCAL METHADONE CLINICS LAST YEAR CATERED FOR ABOUT THREE MILLION PATIENT-ATTENDANCES, WITH AN AVERAGE OF SOME 8,000 ADDICTS DAILY.

THIS REPRESENTS AROUND 60 PER CENT OF ABOUT 14,000 ABUSERS UNDERGOING SOME FORM OF TREATMENT, REHABILITATION AND AFTERCARE BACH

DAY.

THE USE OF METHADONE FOR TREATMENT OF DRUG ADDICTS ON AN OUT-PATIENT BASIS WAS STARTED IN HONG KONG IN LATE 1972. SINCE THEN THE PROGRAMME HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO COPE WITH THE INCREASING DEMAND AND IS NOW THE LARGEST TREATMENT PROGRAMME IN HONG

KONG.

PROF BSCHOR WAS PLEASED TO LEARN THAT THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE METHADONE PROGRAMME PERMITS THE PATIENT TO ACHIEVE SOCIAL STABILITY AS A CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY AND IS PARTICULARLY USEFUL FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE FAILED REPEATEDLY IN OTHER FORMS OF TREATMENT.

"HONG KONG IS ONE OF THE VERY FEW PLACES IN THE WORLD THAT PROVIDE EVERY ADDICT WITH A READILY ACCESSIBLE, LEGAL, MEDICALLY AND EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO CONTINUED ILLICIT SELF-ADMINISTRATION HEROIN, HE ADDED.

rt

CAN SAFE

OF

NUMBER OF DRUG IN CONTRAST ΤΟ

HE WAS ALSO IMPRESSED WITH THE VERY SMALL ABUSERS FOUND TO BE AIDS/HIV CARRIERS IN HONG KONG, THE SITUATION IN HIS COUNTRY WHERE THE HIV-SPREAD IN THE DRUG USER POPULATION HAS REACHED AROUND 20 PER CENT POSITIVE.

OF THE 214 REPORTED CASES OF AIDS/HIV UP TO FEBRUARY THIS YEAR ONLY FIVE WERE RELATED TO DRUG ADDICTS.

RESEARCH ELSEWHERE HAS SHOWN THAT METHADONE MAINTENANCE TREATMENT IS ONE OF THE EFFECTIVE MEASURES OF REDUCING INTRAVENOUS USE AND NEEDLE-SHARING BY HEROIN ADDICTS.

OF

PROF BSCHOR ALSO PRAISED THE LONG-TERM, IN-DEPTH MONITORING THE OVERALL SITUATION RELATING TO DRUG ABUSE AND AIDS, WITH REFERENCE TO FACTORS SUCH AS CRIMINALITY, AGE DISTRIBUTION AND TRENDS IN DRUG ABUSE.

RESOURCES

HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT THE IMPORTANCE OF UPDATING THE RESEARCH ON A CONTINUING BASIS, AND OF HAVING THE RESPOND TO STATISTICAL INDICATORS.

TO

IN ADDITION, PROF BSCHOR COMMENDED HONG KONG'S PHILOSOPHY OF ACCEPTING AND PROMOTING EVERY KIND OF TREATMENT OF DRUG ABUSERS, AS OPPOSED TO THE SITUATION IN GERMANY, WHERE THE POLICY TENDS TO FAVOUR AND FINANCE ONE OR TWO TREATMENT MODALITIES ONLY.

"HONG KONG'S EXPERIENCE IN METHADONE TREATMENT DESERVES THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S APPRECIATION AS IT HAS NOT ONLY MET THE NEED OF HEROIN ADDICTS BUT ALSO HELP HALT THE WIDE SPREAD OF AIDS,' HE CONCLUDED.

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