Strengthening coordination among relevant sectors in drug addiction treatment

(Baonghean.vn) - Nghe An has nearly 7,300 drug addicts, but the number of people who have successfully been rehabilitated is low.

On the morning of January 22, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs held a conference to review drug addiction treatment and post-treatment management models in Nghe An province in the period 2013 - 2015.

Conference Overview.

According to the report, up to now, the whole province has nearly 7,300 drug addicts with controlled records (ranked 5th nationwide), 367/280 communes and wards have drugs (accounting for 78.3%), the majority of drug addicts are opium and heroin.

Currently, in addition to 8 centers with the function of drug addiction treatment and post-treatment management, the province applies 3 drug addiction treatment models: Drug addiction treatment and post-treatment management model at the place of residence; military-civilian medical model of drug addiction treatment and solving post-treatment social problems in border communes; and community-based drug addiction treatment support point model.

These models have organized drug rehabilitation for 306 people, vocational training for 60 people, job referrals for 15 people, and loan support to create jobs for 21 people.

Staff of Ky Son Military Medical Clinic provide Methadone treatment consultation for drug addicts. Photo: Hai Thuong.

In addition, since 2013, the province has implemented a model of converting the Social Labor Education Center I into a Voluntary Drug Rehabilitation Center. In the period 2013 - 2015, the center organized drug rehabilitation for 554 students, of which the number of compulsory drug rehabilitation was 212 (reaching 98% of the target), the number of voluntary drug rehabilitation was 342 (reaching 54% of the target).

At the conference, delegates from localities and rehabilitation centers raised difficulties in implementing rehabilitation models and post-rehabilitation management such as: Most of the officers working in community rehabilitation are part-time and do not spend much time implementing the model; job creation and support for post-rehabilitation people still face many difficulties; the progress of implementing the model of converting Social Labor Education Center I to Voluntary Rehabilitation Center is slow...

Drug addicts learn rattan weaving at Nghe An Social Labor and Education Center 1. Photo: Tran Duc Thang.

To improve the effectiveness of drug addiction treatment and post-treatment management models, delegates suggested that relevant sectors should organize training courses for local officials on drug addiction counseling and treatment skills, and support for drug addicts; develop coordination regulations between relevant sectors in implementing drug addiction treatment at home and in the community to increase access to available services in the community.

People's Committees of districts, cities and towns shall replicate effective models of drug addiction treatment and post-treatment management; integrate them into hunger eradication, poverty reduction and vocational training programs for rural workers to organize vocational training and create jobs for post-drug addicts.

On this occasion, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs presented gifts to 5 typical individuals who successfully cured drug addiction in the period 2013 - 2015.

Minh Quan