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| Methadone is used to treat heroin addiction in Việt Nam. — VNA/VNS Photo |
Viet Nam News
ĐỒNG NAI — The Department of Health of the south-eastern province of Đồng Nai plans to set up at least one clinic in Long Khánh Town, Biên Hòa City and every district by the end of next year to provide methadone substitution treatment for drug addiction.
Methadone has to be taken every day to treat the craving for heroin, according to experts.
Huỳnh Cao Hải, the department’s deputy director, said a seventh clinic opened on Tuesday at the Xuân Lộc District health centre.
The province has more than 2,000 addicts, but only about 55 per cent of them get methadone therapy.
The department said the low rate is because many districts do not yet have methadone clinics, and addicts have to travel a long distance from home every day, causing many to quit.
To enable addicts to visit clinics every day before going to work, their staff start working at 6am or even earlier.
To enable addicts to get treated at any methadone clinic in the country, the Việt Nam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control plans to issue them cards this year.
With the card, they would not require transfer papers from their clinic.
The administration is currently collecting information about all patients around the country to create a database before issuing the cards.—VNS
