Methadone treatment helps drug users to improve health and reintegrate into the community. (Photo: tiengchuong.vn)
(CPV) -
Hanoi will open four additional methadone treatment facilities and grant licences for three facilities at the National Institute of Mental Health under the Bach Mai Hospital, the National Psychiatric Hospital No.1 and the Hanoi Medical University.
The information was released by Deputy Director of the Hanoi Health Department, Nguyen Van Dung.
The four new treatment facilities will treat approximately 250 drug abuse patients. Hanoi will focus on choosing locations which meet requirements under the following criteria: districts with high HIV infection rates by drug injection; the commitment of district people’s committees to support and implement methadone treatment; facilities located far from schools but near hospitals allowing prompt transport of drug abuse patients to hospital for emergency aid; areas with good connections to HIV/AIDS prevention and control services, access to Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) for HIV and HIV Out-patient Clinica (OPC).
Three institutions, the National Institute of Mental Health, National Psychiatric Hospital No.1 and the Hanoi Medical University, will build mechanisms to cooperate with the new facilities in order to ensure treatment for patients is effective.
In addition, Hanoi will continue to maintain six methadone treatment facilities in the districts of Hai Ba Trung, Dong Da, Long Bien, South Tu Liem, Ha Dong and Son Tay, which are currently treating 1,541 drug abuse patients.
Due to implementation of the methadone maintenance treatment program over the last three years, many drug users in treatment have changed their behaviour. Results include reduced HIV infection rates, improved awareness and lifestyle rectification. Many of the patients have found jobs and improved their lives.
However, Mr Dung said that methadone is only a maintenance treatment for drug substances not including ecstasy and crystalline drugs. Therefore, some patients successfully being treated with methadone continue to use ecstasy, which reduces the efficiency of the methadone treatment program. The 2015 target is to provide 80,000 drug users with access to methadone treatment nationwide./.
Đăng ký: VietNam News