Socialization to help drug users access methadone

Methadone is considered the most effective treatment for those addicted to opiates or heroin. However, access to this detoxification method is full of obstacles.

To find solutions to remove barriers and difficulties for detoxification with methadone, the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on November 20th, organized a workshop on the community with implementation of a methadone program.

Overview of the workshop (Photo : VGP)

Methadone is widely used in nearly 80 countries in the world for the treatment of chronic pain, detoxification and replacement treatment for drug users.

With over 40 years of safe and effective implementation, methadone is considered the effective treatment method for drug addicts, significantly reducing drug use and improving their health and quality of life.

Currently, Vietnam has about 185,000 managed drug addicts. However, only 38 out of 63 provinces and cities carrying out the methadone treatment program for 21,613 drug users, which reaches only 27% of the target set by 2015.

According to a report of the Vietnam Network of People Who Use Drugs (VNPUD), 90% of drug users and their families want to access the methadone treatment program.

Dr. Nguyen Hoang Long, Head of the Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC) under the Ministry of Health, said that the access to the methadone treatment method meets barriers and difficulties due to inappropriate attention of local administrations, slow implementation and lack of financial and human resources.

At the workshop, many solutions were discussed to enhance the effectiveness of the treatment program with the conclusion that socialization of treatment facilities for drug users was to be the top priority.

Accordingly, methadone treatment facilities will collect charges of treated drug addicts at VND10,000-15,000/person/day. Besides, it is necessary to promote communication about the methadone treatment program, mobilize the participation of civil society organizations and coequal networks; strengthen the central budget to ensure purchase of methadone for difficult mountainous localities and human resource training.

At the same time, drug addicts need to eliminate their stigma, increase community integration, active participation in the detoxification treatment program with methadone.

(Source: CPV)