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The Commissioner for Narcotics, Ms Sally Wong, today (April 6) visited Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital in Wong Tai Sin to learn more about an anti-psychotropic substance abuse pilot programme for the youth in the district. She also exchanged views with district frontline workers in the anti-drug cause including doctors, social workers and principals.
Accompanied by the programme organiser, Dr Au Yiu-kai, Consultant i/c (Surgery) of Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital, Ms Wong visited a clinic for young psychotropic substance abusers in the hospital to understand its operation.
The anti-psychotropic substance abuse programme for the youth is jointly organised by Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital, Family Medicine and Primary Health Care of Kowloon West Cluster, Wong Tai Sin District Fight Crime Committee, Wong Tai Sin Healthy and Safe City Company Limited, Social Welfare Department and Wong Tai Sin School Liaison Committee.
Launched in July 2008, it is a pilot scheme serving the youth of Tsz Wan Shan. The programme is based on a family medicine concept and resources of the community including doctors, social workers, teachers as well as parents, to help district youth stay away from drugs. It provides the basic frontline intervention services for the youth.
Doctors at the clinic receive referrals from non-governmental organisations, schools and doctors of general out-patient clinics in the district. They conduct body checks and body functional assessment for the young drug abusers to enhance their motivation to quit drugs. Doctors also co-operate with social workers in providing medical and counselling services to help the youth rebuild a healthy life style.
Doctors participating in the programme organise anti-drug talks for the youth, parents, schools and other private medical practitioners in the district. They use their clinical knowledge and experience to equip the medical professionals with anti-drug knowledge, as well as raise public awareness about the harm psychotropic substances can cause. A total of 2,700 participants have joined the programme activities so far.
Commending the idea of the programme, Ms Wong believed the programme matched well with the recommendations made by the Task Force on Youth Drug Abuse for a district based multi-disciplinary approach in treatment and rehabilitation services, the promotion of care for the youth under the Path Builders Initiative, and the Fifth Three-year Plan on Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Services in Hong Kong of the Action Committee Against Narcotics.
"Suitable multi-disciplinary and cross sector collaboration would facilitate the provision of a holistic continuum of medical and social services for youth drug abusers. It enables better co-ordination and implementation of services. It also ensures an effective use of community resources," she said.
"A patient-centred and district based multi-disciplinary approach is an effective way to treat and rehabilitate drug abusers; and the mobilisation of community resources further enhances the effectiveness of preventive education and early intervention. I hope that more programmes along this line will be launched in other districts in the future."
Ends/Monday, April 6, 2009
Issued at HKT 19:45
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