Social Concern:
MCPA, which consists of community pharmacists, should register and shoulder a rightful amount of social responsibility to this country. The Association cannot be oblivious towards many social ills and health-related issues of concern, especially where the matters pertain to our specialized training in the professional management of drugs.
Two foremost social concern issues to be highlighted here are: (1) Narcotic Drugs Addiction, and (2) HIV/AIDS programmes.
The tables below show the recent statistics on Narcotic Drugs Addiction in Malaysia:
Data below was published in Sin Chew Daily (Page:06) dated 29-10-2005
(Statistics for 2005 were from January to September 2005)
States
2004 Addicts
2005 Addicts
Averaged Monthly Increase
Penang
5,410
4,640
516
Kuala Lumpur
4,920
3,647
405
Johor
3,116
2,843
316
Perak
2,371
2,287
254
Kedah
2,466
1,889
210
Selangor
2,485
1,747
194
Sabah
3,222
1,514
168
Pahang
1,085
1,396
155
Kelantan
3,104
1,266
141
Negeri Sembilan
737
506
56
Sarawak
315
457
51
Melaka
718
376
42
Terengganu
584
244
27
Perlis
351
240
27
Labuan
75
10
1
MALAYSIA
30,959
23,062
2,582
According to PEMADAM’s report, there was a 26% decrease compared to last years’ number. But 23,062 addicts is still a worrying figure because the trend moves towards younger people. 72 percents of addicts are from 19 to 39 years old; the largest group is from 25 to 29 years old.
98% of 6,824 drug addicts, who are receiving treatment from 28 Drug Rehabilitation Centers, are males. Among all the drug addicts in Malaysia, 67.58% are Malays, 15.35% are Chinese, and 9.88% are Indians. Drug addiction is a serious national menace that needs to be dealt with.
Cases
New Addicts
Relapsed Addicts
TOTAL
Percentage
Heroin & Cocaine
5,553
10,142
15,695
68.08%
Opium
2
13
15
0.07%
Cannabis
2,104
1,404
3,508
15.21%
Amphetamine
288
32
320
1.39%
Syabu
1,915
550
2,465
10.69%
Other Central Stimulants
577
178
755
3.27%
Cough syrups
211
93
304
1.32%
TOTAL
10,650
12,412
23,062
100.00%
During the first nine months of 2005, the police and customs and pharmaceutical departments seized 105.43Kg of Heroin, 647.31 Kg of Cannabis, 3.91 Kg of Opium, 35.5 Kg of Syabu, 31,7061 litres of Cough syrups, 110,805 tablets of Amphetamine, and 212,553 tablets of hypnotics.
To combat against drug addiction menace, it is heartening to note that Health Ministry had decided to use Methadone, a long proven drug, in the Drug Substitution Therapy in October 2005, through 10 government and 10 private hospitals, for 1,200 drug addict participants. It would be ideal to persuade the remaining 82% addicts to participate in the scheme.
Community pharmacists, under the banner of MCPA, should find pro-active means to assist the government to reduce the Drug Addiction problems in this country. In some countries, drug addicts can have methadone dispensed at the designated community pharmacies. Exhibitions, and seminars should be held periodically, and be organized in the schools with the education department, to pre-empt the drug addiction strike on the students. Much work and financial resources will be required for this community project. Pharmacists’ sacrificial services will be required.
The second social concern issue is related to HIV/AIDS.
Health Minister, Datuk Dr Chua said on 2nd June 2005 that there were 61,486 AIDS virus carriers. There were 8,955 AIDS suffers, and 7,083 persons had died from AIDS. The figure will probably increase to 300,000 in 10 years’ time because Malaysia still does not have an effective method of dealing with drug addiction and addiction-related AIDS.
According to the Health Minister, a survey among 6,326 AIDS patients revealed that 75% of AIDS virus carriers were caused directly through shared needles among the AIDS patients. 77% of them injected drugs three times a day, and more then 5 of them shared a needle. 77.6% were sexually active; only 18.7% used condoms during sexual intercourse. Two significant findings are: (1) those drug addicts who used needles had 6 times higher probability of getting AIDS, and (2) those who shared needles had 7 times higher probability of getting AIDS as compared those who did not share needles with others.
The evidence from the survey is overwhelming that “sharing needles among the drug addicts” is a major cause of rapid increase in AIDS suffers. Another global survey that was carried out in 29 cities showed a 58% annual decrease in AIDS suffers when “Free Needle Exchange and Condoms Distribution Program” was implemented. Hong Kong and Holland were two notable successful examples.
Health Ministry desires to implement “free distribution of needles and condoms to the drug addicts” as a means to halt the increase in AIDS patients. However, some negative responses, based on religious and moral grounds, had halted the implementation for the time being.
Malaysian Community Pharmacists Association, being a national and professional association pertaining to rational uses of drugs, may be in the best position to work with the Government to implement the “Free Distribution of Condoms and Exchange of Needles to Registered Drug Addicts” through our 1,800 community pharmacies. An agreed Protocol between Health Ministry and MCPA will start this meaningful community project to benefit the people. Similar successful schemes had been carried out in other countries.