Sharp rise in drug addict numbers

Localities across Vietnam have seen a sharp rise in the number of drug addicts; however, the rate coming to rehabilitation centres has remained static.

According to a preliminary report from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), Vietnam now has 121 state-owned education and labour centres and 20 post-detoxification management centres.  In the first half of this year, up to 16,000 of the 35,000 attending these establishments had been detoxified, including 9,400 at the centres, and the remainder recovering in their community and family.

The Department for Social Evil Prevention under the MoLISA, the number of drug addicts coming to detoxification centres is still low compared to the country’s total number of drug addicts, which currently stands at 171,400. The localities that have seen the sharpest rise in the number of drug addicts include Thai Binh, Binh Duong and Thai Nguyen.

Under instruction from MoLISA, localities have to give statistics on sex workers managed by education and labour centres to offer them support before the Law on Handling Administrative Violations takes effect on July 1, when all sex workers will no longer be taken into education and labour centres.

The ministry will work with agencies to provide loans and job training for people after detoxification, sex workers and people living with HIV.