VietNamNet Bridge - From the 3rd quarter of this year, drug rehabilitation using methadone treatment will be used at all hospitals in 24 districts of HCM City.

The city aims to treat 8,000 drug addicts with this advanced methodology from now to the end of 2015.

The city currently has eight rehabilitation facilities based at the Preventive Medicine Centers in districts 4, 6, 8 , Binh Thanh, Thu Duc, Go Vap and Tan Binh, which treat nearly 1,600 drug addicts.

To realize the above target, the city will set up rehabilitation facilities at hospitals in the remaining districts. The city will also deliver methadone to drug addicts at ward- and commune-level health stations.

The results of this new treatment model will be reviewed and it will be expanded to other provinces.

To be treated with methadone, drug addicts will have to register at drug rehabilitation facilities and then will have to go to treatment facilities once a day to take methadone and be examined by doctors.

The medicine will be offered for free, thanks to international aid. However, the aid will end in 2015.

HCM City has spent more than VND3 billion ($150,000) from its budget for the purchase of drugs and operating costs of the methadone-treatment facilities.

The city plans to call for social investment in the program. In the future, if the drug is no longer provided for free by foreign organizations, drug addicts may have to pay VND10,000 ($0.5) for each dose.

The main goal of methadone treatment is to prevent HIV infection through injection, and help drug addicts gradually give up the habit of using drugs.

According to the latest statistics, the city has around 13,000 to 16,000 drug addicts.

Thu Ly