With the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), from 14 to 20 August 2022, a group of experts led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Minh Giang and colleagues from Vietnam-International Center Technology Transfer (V-ITTC) of Hanoi Medical University had a business trip to Huoaphanh province, Laos. The purpose of this trip was to conduct a general survey to evaluate the feasibility and suitability of a pilot program on methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) to treat people with opioid dependence, which would tentatively be implemented at a number of medical centers, hospitals, and drug-dispensing points in Huoaphanh province.
During the trip, the group of experts had the opportunity to work with leaders of various departments of Huoaphanh province and discuss with officials, who were police and medical staff currently working in the drug addiction treatment field, on experiences of working with people who use drugs and policies to encourage people with substance use disorder to enroll in drug treatment programs in the local areas. In addition, the expert team conducted an assessment of locations where the MMT program could be implemented based on the socio-cultural characteristics and the reality of opioid dependence of patients in Huophanh province.
At the end of the trip, the group of experts would send an assessment report on the findings and recommendations for the pilot implementation of the MMT program to the Laos Ministry of Health. As for the roles of V-ITTC, in the coming time, V-ITTC continue to provide technical support, develop training programs, documents and guidelines and organize training courses on MMT and addiction treatment counseling for health providers in Huoaphanh province, Laos. This was not only an opportunity for the group of experts from Hanoi Medical University to exchange clinical experiences with Lao health providers, but also an opportunity to strengthen the relationship and cooperation between Laos and Vietnam.
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