HIV Prevention and Health Promotion

Government Programmes on AIDS - Harm reduction on substance use

Harm reduction means reducing harm caused by substance use. With the priority on public health, it is an application strategy aiming at reducing harm to both individual and society at large.

The objectives of harm reduction strategy on substance users and spread of HIV are:

1. To encourage substance users to quit and join drug rehabilitation programme.
2. If users are not able to stop using substance, they should not adopt injecting method.
3. If drug injection is unavoidable, please use a disposable needle each time and do not share or reuse needles to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B & C, syphilis and tetanus.

Harm reduction strategy, which has been adopted worldwide. The overseas experience proved that implementation of harm reduction strategy will not increase the number of substance users and can effectively control the spread of HIV.

Drug rehabilitation service for opioid users

The Department of Health operates an out-patient methadone maintenance as well as detoxification scheme for opioid users. Methadone is a controlled medicine. For people addicted to heroin, morphine or opium, methadone treatment is a legal, safe and effective means to minimize craving, discomfort and other harms arising from withdrawal of illicit drugs. As injecting drug use constitutes high risk for AIDS and other blood borne diseases, health education and counselling for patients has been a priority. Concomitant activities include health education video programmes shown in methadone clinics, free distribution of condoms and the provision of blood testing services for patients of the Methadone Treatment Programme.

Methadone prevents the withdrawal symptoms of heroin, morphine or opium addiction for 24 to 36 hours. It is a flavoured syrup preparation to be taken orally. Patients only need to attend methadone clinics once daily for a dose of methadone. Methadone usually does not produce euphoria. It is not associated with any serious side effects and enables the patient to work and lead a normal life as a productive citizen of the community. This link will open in a new windowMethadone clinics in Hong Kong operating daily including Sundays and public holidays.

Two types of treatment programmes are available in methadone clinics:

1. Methadone Maintenance Programme - the patient receives the proper dose of methadone daily for a period as long as the patient feels necessary. There is no time limit for this type of programme.
2. Methadone Detoxification Programme - for those patients with determination, their dosage of methadone is reduced gradually over a period of time, until there is no need for the patients to continue treatment.

Patients in the methadone maintenance programme can join the methadone detoxification programme at any time. Their methadone dosage will be reduced gradually over a period of time, until there is no need for the patient to continue treatment. So long as the patients do not relapse to taking heroin or opium, they are considered as detoxified. Each patient's treatment plan is variable and can be changed to suit individual need.

Counselling and advice can be obtained from the doctor of the clinic. Counselling services at methadone clinics are provided by social workers of the Society for the Aid & Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers (SARDA). Methadone clinics thus provide a point of contact to refer patients to other treatment and rehabilitation agencies where necessary.