Looks like the number of people with opioid use disorder on methadone is finally creeping up. And the dosages used are higher, in most cases, than they were before. Are take-home doses allowed?

Time to introduce buprenorphine/naloxone.

Jamie

++++++++++++++++++

Methadone centre treating over 300 heroin users in Thingangyun
Aung Phay Kyi Soe
Myanmar Times
24 May 2019

Over 300 heroin addicts are being treated and rehabilitated at Thingangyun San Pya General Hospital methadone centre in Thingangyun township, Yangon Region, a hospital official said.

“The methadone (treatment) is supported by the Ministry of Health and Sports. We give each patient one methadone dose per day,” Dr Daw Than Hla, medical superintendent of the hospital, said.

Methadone is a synthetic opiate used as a substitute for heroin, but there is no substitute drug for methamphetamine pills, or yaba, according to health officials.

As of April, the methadone centre’s heroin patients included 326 men and 3 women, according to the hospital. Most of the patients are from Thingangyun, Tarmwe, Yankin, South Dagon and North Dagon townships and are 30 to 40 years old. The dose of methadone for each addict ranges from 5 to 150 milligrams, but most doses are 80mg.

A 32-year-old heroin user from Tarmwe said, “This centre is very helpful to drug users. We need methadone therapy to quit drugs. We can work like normal people when we use methadone.”

The centre is open from Monday to Sunday from 7am to 1pm.

The ministry had over 10,000 registered patients at 46 methadone centres throughout the country in 2017.

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/methadone-centre-treating-over-300-heroin-users-thingangyun.html