In order to control spread of AIDS among drug takers, China is to put up 1, 000 clinics that offer methadone maintenance treatment in next five years, and 200, 000 drug takers will receive such treatment, says Wu Zunyou, a researcher with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and head of the secretariat of the Methadone working group on Nov 16. Methadone is a kind of artificial stupefacient. Wu says Methadone maintenance treatment is an effective method to curb spread of AIDS among drug takers, which is widely adopted in many countries. He adds that the first batch of eight clinics has started trial operation in Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces. So far more than 1, 000 people have received the treatment there.

"The trial operation of the first batch of clinics is successful. Methadone maintenance treatment has seen remarkable effects in reducing drug injection, improving social functions of drug takers and eliminate the drug market and crimes," says Wu.

The working group has approved establishing the second batch of 26 clinics. It is predicted that the number of clinics will reach 100 by the end of 2005. There are about 840, 000 HIV carriers in China and sharing injection equipment has become a principal way for spread of AIDS. In the Methadone maintenance treatment, drug takers will eventually reduce dependence on heroin by taking methadone under doctor's instructions. The treatment can also eliminate AIDS spread caused by sharing of injecting equipment. Many countries in the world have adopted the Methadone maintenance treatment since 1960s.

By People's Daily Online