Thua Thien-Hue expands community-based drug detox treatment

Post-detoxification addicts receive vocational training (Photo: molisa.gov.vn)

Thua Thien –Hue (VNA) – The central province of Thua Thien- Hue is working to diversify and improve the effectiveness of home- and community-based detoxification treatment for drug addicts.

The province targets getting 100 percent of addicts undergo detox by 2020; with at least 70 percent receiving home- and community-based treatment.

In 2013, An Cuu precinct, Hue city was selected to pilot a programme on establishing a consultation unit to get the community and addicts’ families involved in treatment.

Under the programme, the precinct established a detoxification centre which coordinated with the local administration, mass organisations and addicts’ families to encourage the addicts to get treatment.

The model also helped post-detoxification addicts receive vocational training, loans, find jobs and improve their living conditions as well as preventing them from relapsing. The programme helped 14 out of 18 addicts in the precinct successfully detoxify.

Following An Cuu, 41 out of the 65 precincts and communes in the province have set up similar units.

Thanks to the models, 728 drug users in the province were weaned off drug abuse thanks to community-based treatment from 2011 to September 2016, according to statistics of the Thua Thien-Hue Department for Social Evils Prevention. Among them, 67 have received vocational training and reintegrated into the community.-VNA