Pubdate: Sun, 01 Apr 2001
Source: Kamloops This Week (CN BC)
Copyright: 2001 Kamloops This Week
Contact:  http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1271
Author: Dave Dormer

DETOX CENTRES IMPRESS VISITORS

Drug-and-alcohol addiction is a  problem in just about every country in the 
world.

The problems become magnified  when they occur in second- and third-world 
countries.

Through the help of Rotary  International, six men from Bangladesh are 
working to find a solution to the problem in their  homeland.

As part of an exchange program with the Kamloops West Rotary Club, the 
group arrived here March 25 and expect to stay until tomorrow.

Meeting with officials from several different programs and facilities, 
including the Phoenix Centre, Raven Program, Kiwanis House, High Valley 
Youth Camp and Osprey  Program during their stay, the men have gathered 
information on how to expand their  own programs.

While addiction may not be an epidemic problem in Bangladesh, a lack of 
proper  treatment facilities is.

In a country of 150 million people, there are only a handful of privately 
owned and  operated clinics with about 100 beds in total.

The only government-run clinic has just 10 beds, which means millions of 
people go  untreated.

"It's unfortunate but we can't help them all," says Muhammad Mohsin, who 
runs a daily newspaper.

"The clinics there are always full. The government participation is very 
poor and there is very little money available."

The group, which works with the Dinajpur Drug Detoxification Centre, likes 
what it has seen and learned so far.

"The Phoenix Centre offers such a complete program. We had never thought 
there could be such a variety of programs available through one centre. 
It's information like this we will be taking back with us."

Alcohol is not a big problem there as 98 per cent of the population is 
Muslim, a religion which strictly forbids alcohol of any kind.

A majority of addicts in Bangladesh are hooked on Phensedyl, a cough syrup 
containing derivatives from opium.

Mohsin says Phensedyl was banned in Bangladesh and neighbouring India 15 
years ago because of addiction rates but, since then, numerous illegal 
factories have been set up to produce it.

"The Bangladesh government has asked the Indian government to shut them 
down, but they are run by wealthy men who have influence."

In Dinajpur, Mohsin adds, 17,000 of the village's 150,000 residents are 
addicted to a drug of some type.

Phoenix Centre medical director Dr. Stan Fike was head of a Rotary group 
from Kamloops which travelled to Dinajpur in 1998 to set up a 
water-treatment program. He says one of the only way to begin solving 
addiction problems facing poor countries is citizen involvement.

"The Canadian government can send them all the money they want to but, if 
you don't have people like these guys who care about the citizens of the 
country, then it doesn't matter."
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart