Materia Medica Malaysiana

Free Needles And Condoms Less Expensive, Says Dr Chan

It would be less expensive for the government to supply free needles and condoms rather then spending tax payers money trying to cure the HIV carriers and drug addicts.
Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan said the Health Ministry's proposal might sound absurd, but as far as the medical side was concern, that would be a better measure to curb the problem of drug addicts and the spreading of HIV virus in the community.
"It would be much more expensive if you try to cure them... this people are not productive anymore, so this is a small price (for tax payers) to pay," he said.
Dr Chan was asked to comment on Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek's statement that the ministry would embark on a six-month pilot project to supply free needles and condoms to 1,200 injecting drug users (IDU's) beside providing them with methadone, a drug substitute.
"The moral side I would not want to comment...but as far as medical side is concern, that is a better thing to do rather than letting them to use needles and pass them around, which will then increase the chance of people being infected," he said, relating to his personal opinion as a medical doctor.
On the state government's stand of the issue, Dr Chan said so far the Cabinet had not discussed the matter.
Dr Chan's opinion was echoed by the president of the Federation of Kuching and Samarahan Division Chinese Association Dr Chou Chii Ming, but felt that there should be strict control as to who should get the free needles and condoms.
"Providing free needles and condoms will not be sufficient as we do not know who around us are drug addicts of HIV carriers. So, those people who get these things must register themselves," he said.
The ministry's proposal was also lauded by a community leader, Kapitan Lim Sin Khee, who believed that prevention was better than cure.
"It is good because we have to prevent the AIDS-causing virus from spreading. More importantly, drug addicts have to appreciate what the government is doing.
"As the number of drug addicts and HIV carriers is increasing, it is imperative that the government take stringent measures to stop the spread of the virus," he said.