The delegation of Huoaphanh province, Laos exchange experiences on Methadone treatment in Lai Chau and Son La provinces

Following the exchange visit to Laos of a group of experts from the Vietnam – International Technology Transfer Center (V-ITTC) of Hanoi Medical University last August, in 3 days from 12 to 14 December 2022, the delegation of Huoaphanh province, Laos led by Mr. Kham Pheng Keo Mun Thong – Deputy Director of Public Security of Huoaphanh province, paid a visit to the People’s Committee of Lai Chau province and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Son La province to exchange experiences on the methadone maintenance treatment for patients with opioid use disorders with the inter-sectoral delegation of Lai Chau and Son La provinces. The discussion with the group of Lao officials was facilitated and joined by representatives from the Provincial Department of Health, the Provincial office of the People’s Committee, the Provincial department of public security, and the Vietnam-International Technology Transfer Center of Hanoi Medical University.

At the working session on the morning of December 12, Dr. Nguyen The Phong – Deputy Director of the Department of Health of Lai Chau province shared some results and experiences in implementing the methadone treatment program in Lai Chau and in working with patients, and some policies to support and encourage patients to enroll in methadone treatment and to reduce the social evils and the number of people with opioid use disorders in the area.

In 4 days of working in Lai Chau and Son La provinces, both groups of Lao and Vietnamese officials discussed the process of organizing a methadone treatment facility, receiving patients participating in methadone treatment, and dispensing daily doses to patients, some basic principles of methadone storage, procedures of testing and addiction treatment counseling, and some criteria that patients have to meet in order to participate in the pilot multi-day methadone dispensing program, etc.

In the near future, the team of experts from the V-ITTC will continue to provide technical support, develop intervention documents and coordinate with the Laos team to organize training courses and capacity-building workshops for Laos health workers to pilot the methadone maintenance treatment program in Huoaphanh province, Laos.

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