XN000022-1992-01-22 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1992

OF THESE, SOME SIX PER CENT WERE UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE, 25 CENT AGED 21 TO 30, 28 PER CENT AGED 31 TO 40, 15 PER CENT AGED 41 50, AND 26 PER CENT 51 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER.

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PER TO

AT THE END OF JUNE LAST YEAR, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ABUSERS UNDERGOING TREATMENT, COUNSELLING OR OTHER AFTERCARE SERVICES IN THESE THREE PROGRAMMES, WAS 12,695; OF THESE, ABOUT 7,500 OR 60 PER CENT WERE PART OF THE OUT-PATIENT METHADONE TREATMENT PROGRAMME. THE OTHER TWO IN-PATIENT PROGRAMMES CATERED FOR ABOUT 2,500 OR 20 PER CENT BACH.

OTHER SMALLER SCALE PROGRAMMES ARR OPERATED BY 13 OTHER VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, PROVIDING DETOXIFICATION, MEDICAL TREATMENT, REHABILITATION AND AFTERCARE SERVICES.

MR ASPREY SAID ALL OF THESE PROGRAMMES COMBINED CATER FOR AN ESTIMATED 2,600 DRUG ABUSERS.

THE THREE MAJOR PROGRAMMES PROVIDE A DIFFERENT RANGE OF SERVICES AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS MUST, THEREFORE, BE MEASURED IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

"WE ALSO NEED TO BEAR IN MIND THAT DRUG ADDICTION IS A CHRONIC, RELAPSING CONDITION, THE SECRETARY SAID.

THE METHADONE TREATMENT PROGRAMME IS PRIMARILY A MAINTENANCE PROGRAMME, DESIGNED TO BLOCK THE CRAVING FOR HEROIN, ENABLING THE INDIVIDUAL TO MAINTAIN A RELATIVELY NORMAL LIFESTYLE AND REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF DRUG-RELATED CRIME.

OUT OF THE 10,985 PATIENTS REGISTERED WITH THE PROGRAMME, 8,004 OR 73 PER CENT ATTENDED DAILY AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.

SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE PROGRAMME IN 1974, ITS EFFECTIVENESS WAS REGULARLY MONITORED. OTHER LARGER SCALE EVALUATIONS WERE CARRIED OUT:

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ALSO

A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE PROGRAMME IN 1978 RECOMMENDED SEVERAL OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING THE PROVISION OF BOTH DETOXIFICATION AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES WITHIN EACH CLINIC (THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY BE PROVIDED IN SEPARATE CLINICS), STREAMLINING OF THE MANNING SCALES AND IMPROVED MONITORING OF THE PROGRESS OF EACH PATIENT. THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE IMPLEMENTED.

FROM 1980 TO 1985, A DRUG TREATMENT SPECIALIST WAS APPOINTED AS AN ADVISER TO THE THEN DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, AND MADE FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STREAMLINING THE OPERATION OF THE PROGRAMME. THESE WERE ALSO IMPLEMENTED.

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A MORE RECENT EVALUATION WAS CARRIED OUT IN 1990. THIS REAFFIRMED THE ANTI-CRIME FUNCTION OF THE PROGRAMME, AND ALSO ITS IMPORTANCE IN REDUCING INTRAVENOUS NEEDLE-SHARING AND, THEREFORE, ITS ROLE OF AIDS,

IN

DRUG USE THE PREVENTION

AND

/THE OBJECTIVE