Pubdate: Mon, 01 Jul 2013
Source: New Straits Times (Malaysia)
Copyright: 2013 New Straits Times
Contact:  http://www.nst.com.my/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3734
Authors: Hana Naz Harun and Emilia Gazali

NEW APPROACH FOR DRUG TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION

KUALA LUMPUR: In response to the growing drug problem and its
complexity, the National Anti-Drug Agency Malaysia (Nada) has shifted
its approach from institutionalised rehabilitation to an open
approach, thus help reduce drug cravings among its clients by 94.4 per
cent.

Nada assistant director (medical) Dr Sangeeth Kaur in her
presentation, "Evidence-based drug policies for an effective HIV
response: The Malaysian Experience", said the open access services and
the setting up of the Cure and Care (C&C) 1Malaysia Clinic managed to
shorten the treatment duration, as well as cut costs compared to
compulsory drug rehabilitation centres.

"Unlike compulsory treatment and admission through the law, admission
to C&C clinics are voluntary therefore they are considered as
patients," she said at the 7th International Aids Society Conference
on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, here, today.

Dr Kaur said this would allow the patients to access quality
healthcare services and receive focused medical, psychiatric and
clinical treatments.

She said the treatment and rehabilitation strategy was to provide a
holistic approach and to treat drug dependents as patients and not
criminals.

The open access services, she said, had no legal implications and no
pre-conditions, which make healthcare services more accessible, and
reduce stigma in the community.

"By treating them as patients, the outcome of C&C clinics showed
number of clients who inject drugs reduced from 46 per cent to only
8.9 per cent.

"61 per cent of the clients are confident they would not be using
drugs in the future," she said.

To date, there are a total of 11 C&C clinics in operations with 28,663
clients since it was established in 2010.

Nada aims to increase the number of C&C clinics to 18, by 2015.
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MAP posted-by: Matt