TNAG-0784-FCO40-988-Application-of-international-labour-conventions-to-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 113

GR 655

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 120910Z

CONFIDENTAL

HKK 244

21

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY, NO. 51

26 APR 1978.

DESK OFFICER

CONFIDENTIAL

INDEX

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.0 TELNO.468. OF 12 APRIL 18 No2

FA

REGISTRY Action Taken

Che

HUNKS

NA

1

WE ARE GRATEFUL

1. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TELNO.271 OF 3RD APRIL. FOR LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS' KIND OFFER AND REGRET THE DELAY IN REPLYING, BUT WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF MR HOOLEY COULD ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:

**WHAT STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT

IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, AND WITH WHAT SUCCESS, IN THE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF DRUG ADDICTS ?

2. THE ANSWER SHOULD, WE SUGGEST, BE TAKEN FROM THE FOLLOWING:

IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION IN TWO OF THE THREE MAJOR PROGRAMMES FOR THE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF DRUG ADDICTS. IN THE COMPULSORY IN-PATIENT

PROGRAMME RUN BY THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT IN ITS FOUR DRUG. ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTRES, THE NUMBER OF ANNUAL ADMISSIONS HAS INCREASED FROM 1,497 IN 1973 TO 2,269 IN 1977. THIS IS THE COMBINED RESULT OF EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF PLACES AVAILABLE IN THE CENTRES, AND SHORTENING THE PERIGO OF STAY OF THE AVERAGE

DRUG ADDICT AS A RESULT OF EXPERIENCE GAINED IN RUNNING THE PROGRAMME. AN EVEN MORE SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION HAS TAKEN PLACE

IN THE VOLUNTARY OUT-PATIENT METHADONE TREATMENT PROGRAMME RUN BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THE OPENING OF SEVENTEEN DETOXIFICATION CENTRES DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS IN ADDITION TO THE FOUR METHADONE MAINTENANCE CENTRES PREVIOUSLY EXISTING HAS RESULTED IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS TREATED DAILY AT THE CENTRES INCREASING FROM 1,000 AT THE END OF 1974 (WHEN STATISTICS WERE

TAKING THE FIRST COLLECTED) TO 5,100 ON 31ST DECEMBER 1977. THREE FORMS OF TREATMENT PROGRAMMES TOGETHER, 1.E. THOSE - MENTIONED ABOVE, AND THE VOLUNTARY IN-PATIENT PROGRAMME RUN BY

CONFIDENTIAL.

.

THE GOVERNMENT.