Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang assigned three ministries to coordinate in developing a National Target Program (NTP) on preventing, combating and improving the effectiveness of drug addiction treatment to have enough legal corridors and resources to improve the effectiveness of this work.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang speaks at the conference to review the work in 2023 and deploy key tasks in 2024 of the National Committee for AIDS, Drug and Prostitution Prevention and Control - Photo: VGP/Hai Minh
On the morning of January 26, the National Committee for AIDS, Drug and Prostitution Prevention and Control held a conference to review the work in 2023 and deploy key tasks in 2024, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, Chairman of the Committee.
Drug crimes are becoming more complex, sophisticated and aggressive.
Reporting at the Conference, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Duy Ngoc, Deputy Minister of Public Security, said that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimated that the number of drug users in the world increased from 240 million people in 2011 to 296 million people in 2023.
In Vietnam, the domestic drug crime situation continues to develop complicatedly on key routes and areas with increasingly sophisticated and aggressive methods and tricks of operation, ready to fight back, causing difficulties and dangers for the authorities in the process of fighting and arresting.
In 2023, through the fight, the functional forces of the Ministry of Public Security discovered 5 new substances that have effects similar to synthetic cannabis, not included in the list of narcotics according to Decree No. 57/2022 dated August 25, 2022 of the Government; discovered a new method of drug production that appeared for the first time in Laos, Vietnam and countries in the region...
Currently, nationwide there are 229,265 illegal drug users, drug addicts and people under post-rehabilitation management, of whom 43,748 are illegal drug users; 170,521 drug addicts, of whom more than 71,000 are in society, accounting for 42%.
Thousands of people illegally use drugs, drug addicts show signs of psychosis, “stoned”. This is identified as a huge “demand” for drug consumption, putting pressure on drug prevention and control work, while also posing a high risk of drug-related crimes, other crimes and law violations, causing insecurity and disorder in many localities.
Notably, the number of drivers, especially those driving passenger and cargo vehicles, testing positive for drugs continues to increase. Illegal drug use at conditional business establishments and services sensitive to security and order continues to develop in a complicated manner.
The illegal cultivation of plants containing narcotics is basically under control, however, in remote areas, border areas of the Northwest and Central Highlands, there is still the situation of growing opium poppies and cannabis plants mixed with other crops, on small areas; growing cannabis in apartment buildings...
In 2023, the Ministry of Public Security directed the detection and combat of 27,333 cases, 42,977 drug-related criminals; seized 523.74 kg of heroin, 541.64 kg of marijuana, 96.978 kg of opium, more than 4,099 kg and 2 million synthetic drug pills, and 118 guns.
The Deputy Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Public Security to coordinate with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to take the lead in developing a national target program on preventing, combating and improving the effectiveness of drug addiction treatment - Photo: VGP/Hai Minh
Warning about the risk of HIV infection in men who have sex with men
Regarding the HIV/AIDS situation, the Ministry of Health estimates that the country currently has nearly 250,000 people infected with HIV, of which 13,445 new HIV-positive cases will be detected in 2023.
The number of HIV infections detected in 2023 is mainly concentrated in the Mekong Delta (33%), Ho Chi Minh City (23.5%), the Southeast region is 21%, the northern mountainous region accounts for 9%, the North Central region, South Central region and Red River Delta each account for 4% -7%. The Central Highlands region is the lowest (3%).
HIV infection rates among men who have sex with men (MSM) have increased alarmingly, from 6.7% in 2014 to 12.47% in 2022. Studies show that the risk of HIV infection among MSM who have used drugs is eight times higher than among MSM who have never used drugs.
In some provinces of the Mekong Delta, the HIV infection rate among young men recruited for military service is approximately 1%, a level at which UNAIDS warns that HIV is spreading widely in the community.
The Ministry of Health warns that the HIV epidemic among MSM at high risk of HIV infection will spread to all provinces and cities if there is no attention and synchronous implementation of preventive measures for MSM soon.
Since the beginning of the epidemic, 114,195 people infected with HIV have died, of which 1,623 deaths will occur in 2023, according to statistics from the Ministry of Health.
Speaking at the conference, representatives of ministries, branches and localities emphasized the need to have a national target program on drug prevention and control; conduct a general survey of drug addicts nationwide to strictly manage this group of subjects; include drug prevention and control content in the official curriculum; have solutions to increase human resources to determine addiction status at rehabilitation facilities; reduce the autonomy of preventive medical facilities; develop a vocational training project for post-rehabilitation drug addicts; increase access to credit policies for post-rehabilitation drug addicts...
Through sharing from localities, it can be seen that where authorities at all levels pay attention and do not leave drug prevention and control to the functional forces, there is better management of drug crimes, better management of addicts, and better care for people after drug rehabilitation.
Concluding the Conference, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang emphasized that the situation of HIV/AIDS, drugs, and prostitution is very worrying, requiring the attention and involvement of the entire political system, especially at the local level, and not leaving it to the authorities.
“Previously, drug seizures were calculated in grams and kilograms, but now they are calculated in quintals and tons, which is terrible. Drug traffickers are using increasingly sophisticated methods, taking advantage of high technology to produce, trade, store, transport drugs, and engage in prostitution. When the economy is difficult, they operate more vigorously,” the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang also expressed concern about the fact that the number of drug addicts, prostitutes, and AIDS victims is still small compared to the reality, especially the high risk of AIDS infection among young people, while the future and race of the country lies in young people. Prostitution is complicated and hidden. Not only prostitution occurs domestically, but also cross-border prostitution occurs abroad.
Agreeing with the key tasks and solutions set by the Steering Committee for 2024 and the opinions expressed at the Conference, the Deputy Prime Minister directed ministries and branches to proactively review and amend the legal corridor under their responsibility to suit the practical situation; report to the Government on contents beyond their authority for immediate resolution.
Each locality must proactively consult and learn from the experiences of other localities to have its own solutions suitable to its practical conditions and resources; and have plans to invest in, build or upgrade drug rehabilitation facilities.
Kon Tum and Dak Nong provinces, currently two of the three localities nationwide that do not have drug rehabilitation facilities, need to proactively arrange land funds and plan to build drug rehabilitation facilities, the Deputy Prime Minister requested.
Functional forces, especially the police, border guards and customs forces, must coordinate with each other better; coordinate with foreign functional agencies in preventing and combating drugs and prostitution; at the same time, promote international cooperation to share experiences and mobilize resources to serve the work of preventing and combating drug crimes and prostitution.
The Deputy Prime Minister hopes that press and media agencies will have new, vivid and attractive forms of propaganda that can penetrate deeply into every citizen, especially the youth.
The Deputy Prime Minister requested to do a good job of counting the number of addicts; strengthen digital transformation; and consider including propaganda content on HIV/AIDS, drug and prostitution prevention in the education program.
The Deputy Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Public Security to coordinate with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to preside over the development of a national target program on preventing, combating and improving the effectiveness of drug addiction treatment for Vietnamese people, to have enough legal corridors and resources to improve the effectiveness of this work./.
Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/ba-bo-duoc-giao-xay-dung-chuong-trinh-mtqg-ve-phong-chong-ma-tuy-102240126142425988.htm
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