Of Free Needles & Condoms

June 02, 2005 15:23 PM

Govt Mulls Needle Exchange, Free Condoms To Addicts - Dr Chua

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry is seriously considering providing needles and condoms to drug addicts to reduce the spread of HIV, the AIDS-causing virus, Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said Thursday.

As an initial step, he said, the ministry would embark on a six-month pilot project to supply free needles and condoms to 1,200 injecting drug users (IDUs) besides methadone, a drug substitute.

Under the Harm Reduction Programme, the needles and condoms would be supplied through 10 selected government and 10 private clinics nationwide in October after the medical staff have been given proper training.

"We've to consider the needle exchange approach. We are providing them the needles so that they will not share needles. In many countries, the results are good in reducing HIV infection rate," he told reporters.

Dr Chua said 61,486 HIV infections, including 8,955 AIDS cases, were reported as of September last year, with 7,083 deaths.

He said 75 per cent of the HIV infections or 46,292 cases were IDUs.

Dr Chua said his ministry's effort was merely a "clinical and medical initiative" as the existing programmes have failed to reduce the infection rate.

"Morally, we're neutral. Actually, in medical reality, without condoms, HIV will spread," he said, expressing the hope that the public would give their feedback and support for the programme to be implemented.

He said the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Drug Addicts Treatment and Rehabilitation headed by him had considered all available data, including a study conducted in 26 drug rehabilitation centres in 1998.

The study on 6,326 inmates showed that 65 per cent of them were IDUs, with 77 per cent of them injecting drugs more than three times a day and shared needles with more than five people, he said.

He said the study also showed 77.6 per cent of the IDUs were sexually active, with only 18.7 per cent of them using condoms during sex.

He said the same study revealed the risk of contracting HIV among IDUs was six times higher than among non-IDUs.

"The risk of being infected with HIV among those sharing needles is seven times higher than those not sharing needles," he said.

It has been projected that by the year 2015, HIV carriers would escalate to 300,000 and drug addicts to about one million.

Dr Chua said the committee also considered other studies such as the global review of needle and syringe exchange programmes implemented between 1993 and 1998 in 29 cities worldwide.

He said they showed HIV prevalence among IDUs dwindled by an average of 58 per cent a year while the number of IDUs did not increase.

By contrast, he said, in 52 cities where no such programmes existed, HIV infections increased by six per cent annually.

He also cited the study in Belarus which showed such programmes had prevented over 2,000 HIV cases. Similar successes were also reported in Australia under the same programme.

Dr Chua said the government was aware of the public sensitivities on the move to provide free needles and condoms to addicts but the Health Ministry's stand was clear -- to discourage free sex.

"We only want the high-risk groups to use condoms. When a person is diagnosed to be HIV-positive, we do not encourage him or her to be every where.

"Using condoms is only one of the safeguards to prevent others from contracting HIV," he said.

In this regard, Dr Chua urged political parties and non-governmental organisations not to exploit the plan for their own agenda.

"Don't exploit the plan for political mileage. It has nothing to do with politics but for the interests of HIV sufferers and to protect Malaysia's image.

"We do not want Malaysia to be known as a developed nation but with the highest number of HIV carriers in Asia," he added.

-- BERNAMA

Free Needles And Condoms Less Expensive, Says Dr Chan
The Sarawak Perspective

KUCHING, June 7 (Bernama) -- It would be less expensive for the government to supply free needles and condoms rather then spending tax payers money trying to cure the HIV carriers and drug addicts.

Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan said the Health Ministry's proposal might sound absurd, but as far as the medical side was concern, that would be a better measure to curb the problem of drug addicts and the spreading of HIV virus in the community.

"It would be much more expensive if you try to cure them... this people are not productive anymore, so this is a small price (for tax payers) to pay," he said.

Dr Chan was asked to comment on Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek's statement that the ministry would embark on a six-month pilot project to supply free needles and condoms to 1,200 injecting drug users (IDU's) beside providing them with methadone, a drug substitute.

"The moral side I would not want to comment...but as far as medical side is concern, that is a better thing to do rather than letting them to use needles and pass them around, which will then increase the chance of people being infected," he said, relating to his personal opinion as a medical doctor.

On the state government's stand of the issue, Dr Chan said so far the Cabinet had not discussed the matter.

Dr Chan's opinion was echoed by the president of the Federation of Kuching and Samarahan Division Chinese Association Dr Chou Chii Ming, but felt that there should be strict control as to who should get the free needles and condoms.

"Providing free needles and condoms will not be sufficient as we do not know who around us are drug addicts of HIV carriers. So, those people who get these things must register themselves," he said.

The ministry's proposal was also lauded by a community leader, Kapitan Lim Sin Khee, who believed that prevention was better than cure.

"It is good because we have to prevent the AIDS-causing virus from spreading. More importantly, drug addicts have to appreciate what the government is doing.

"As the number of drug addicts and HIV carriers is increasing, it is imperative that the government take stringent measures to stop the spread of the virus," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Perak Backs Free Condoms Plan But Only For Married Addicts
The Perak Perspective

IPOH, June 8 (Bernama) -- The Perak government will support the Health Ministry's plan to give free condoms to drug addicts to check the spread of HIV/AIDS if the distribution is restricted to married addicts.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali said the state would have a problem with the plan if condoms were given to unmarried addicts as well.

"It is okay if you want to give condoms to husbands but if you give it to bachelors, it is not appropriate since Islam prohibits sex between unmarried couples," he told reporters after the State Exco meeting.

He was asked to comment on a statement by Perak mufti Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria Tuesday that opposed the ministry's plan to distribute free condoms and syringes to addicts.

Tajol Rosli said the state government supported the distribution of free condoms to married couples because it encouraged the use of condoms by Muslim couples with HIV/AIDS.

Perak required Muslims intending to get married to be tested for HIV/AIDS and those found positive would be given counselling and advice to use condoms if they wanted to continue with their marriage, he said.

He called on the Health Ministry to review the plan and hold discussions with religious leaders and non-governmental organisations to find the best way of implementing it.

On the plan to give free syringes to drug addicts, Tajol Rosli said the Perak government would not object to the plan but the ministry must first study its effectiveness.

He also called on the Council of Mufti to hold a meeting to discuss the issue and arrive at a common stance because the states now had varying views about it.

-- BERNAMA

It looks like finally the MOH is accepting that the gomen initiatives to deal with drug addiction and the spread of HIV are not producing results. Finally the MOH is seriously considering providing addicts with methadone and introducing free condoms and needles to addicts under the Harm Reduction Programme of combating drug addiction and HIV spread. These initiatives have produced good results in countries using them. Mindful of political, social and religious sensitivities, the MOH has rightly pointed out that the latest move must be seen as a "clinical and medical initiative".
Sarawak seems to have taken to the proposal positively but the Perak MB despite saying that the state gomen would support the MOH latest move, he wanted the condoms given only to married addicts. The reason for this is that "Islam prohibits sex between unmarried couples". The MB appears to be behaving like the proverbial ostrich, does he seriously think that the prohibition is seriously being observe by all single persons or that singles do not become drug addicts or have HIV. What is his view on unmarried non-muslim addicts? The effectiveness of the Harm Reduction Programme has already been shown in many studies and in countries using it for theri drug programmes, does he seriously want the MOH to carry out further studies and reinvent the wheel? It must also be noted that the Perak mufti Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria also opposes the MOH's plan to distribute free condoms and needles to addicts.
It looks like Dr Chua might not get his pilot run running soon. The moral polis are surfacing once again.
Meanwhile, our rather indecisive PM, when asked about the MOH initiative, said the gomen is still considering the move and had yet to decide on the suggestion. He is saying all despite knowing that HIV/AIDS has reached a critical and dangerous stage. He said he had also asked the Health Minister to hold meetings with religious leaders to give an explanation on the dangers of the disease. Maybe he should be with Datuk Chua when the latter is explaining things to the religious leaders in order to provide moral and religious supports.