A TREATMENT centre for heroin addicts will next month begin operating out of Nicosia’s old general hospital in an effort to help users who have repeatedly failed to the kick the habit in the past.
The centre, which will initially operate on a pilot basis and develop in stages, will run out of the hospital’s former oncology department and take on no more than an estimated 50 addicts in its first phase.
According to Phileleftheros five heroin users have already been selected to make up the pilot group which will take part in the ‘Bridge’ programme which is due to start operations on October 8.
The paper said candidates due to participate in the programme were in the process of being communicated, with personal interviews already set up.
On September 10 the centre should be open for communication and will be able to provide information and act as a point of contact and preparation for interested parties.
In the meantime the centre will work with addicts due to enrol in the first replacement therapy group.
The local daily said the centre itself was presently underdeveloped and still had several problems regarding its furnishing. At present only one office was in operation and over the next few days a team of experts is expected to join the premises. Meanwhile at a later date a telephone line will be available to take phone calls from people interested in joining the programme or who want more information about it.
Reports said the programme was targeted at heroin addicts who had repeatedly failed to benefit from other rehabilitation programmes. As part of the treatment the heroin substitute buprenorphine will be used as a replacement for heroin.
In 2006 the Cyprus Monitoring Centre for drugs and drug addiction (EKTEPN) assessed two categories of drug users: those who used heroin and cocaine and those who used only heroin.
According to the centre an estimated 684 to 966 used cocaine and/or heroin, which is about 1.28 to 1.8 cases per thousand residents aged 15 to 64. The number of heroin users was estimated to be between 512 and 747 people, the equivalent to 0.9 to 1.4 cases per thousand residents aged 15 to 64.
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