VietNamNet Bridge – Rehabilitation centres in HCM City in the first six months of the year admitted 1,756 drug users, a decline of 2.8 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to a report released on Friday by the city Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Over the period, 56 prostitutes were sent to rehabilitation centres, an increase of 4 per cent against the same period last year.

Five methadone clinics in districts 4, 6, 8, Binh Thanh and Thu Duc have provided methadone maintenance therapy, general health care and drug dependence counselling to 989 drug users.

Most of the patients are in good health and have adjusted well to treatment.

Seventy per cent of the total 11,966 former addicts, who are under supervision at localities after returning home from rehabilitation centres, are employed.

More than 2,700 former addicts have relapsed, accounting for 23 per cent of the total former addicts.

Since leaving rehab, around 850 former addicts have been arrested for committing crimes such as theft, robbery, drug trafficking and hoarding.

Public and private rehabilitation centres in the city are home to 7,963 drug addicts and 105 prostitutes.

The department said it was determined to stamp out 60 routes and sites identified as drug trafficking hot-spots and 75 prostitution hot-spots in the city by year-end.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News