Media Alert
30 June 2002
HUMAN RIGHTS EMERGENCY 1:

40 lives at risk as another treatment option removed from drug users. NAP calls on NT Chief Health Officer to Resign.

The Network Against Prohibition is calling on the NT Chief Health Officer Dr Shirley Hendy to resign after revelations that she has removed access to treatment for 40 opiate users in Darwin. Lives have been put at risk by this decision, which sees the treating doctor, Dr Henry Pang prohibited from prescribing schedule 8 drugs as of the 8th of July.

Dr Pang has been given 2 weeks notice to cease treating his opiate dependent patients and to refer them on to other services. Buprenorphine will be the only opiate based pharmacotherapy available, and the majority of Dr Pang’s patients will be referred to withdrawal services at Royal Darwin Hospital. Other Darwin GPs are not expected to take on these patients.

NAP Coordinator Gary Meyerhoff said “due to the stigma associated with opiate based drugs and often blatant discrimination by doctors against opiate users, many GPs have decided not to provide services to opiate users.”

The Northern Territory is the only jurisdiction in Australia where it is illegal for doctors to treat opiate dependency with opiates. A number of GPs have left the Territory due to this draconian legislation. Despite the legislation, the Chief Health Officer does have discretion to permit doctors to use opiate based drugs in the treatment of dependency. Dr Hendy chooses not to exercise this discretion despite the volumes of evidence of the effectiveness of opiate based drugs in the treatment of opiate dependency.

Meyerhoff said “in this case, Doctor Hendy has shown blatant disregard for the human rights, physical and emotional wellbeing of the 40 opiate users concerned and their families, by preventing Dr Pang from providing the adequate and necessary level of care. The consequences of this action will also flow onto the wider community.”

“Doctor Hendy should review her decision immediately and restore schedule 8 prescribing rights to Dr Pang. Any failure to do so will result in untold heartache for dozens of Territorians. Failing this, Dr Hendy should be dismissed by the Health Minister.”

Media Alert
30 June 2002
HUMAN RIGHTS EMERGENCY 2:

Urgent assistance required for Darwin opiate users

International Day of Action July 8th

40 dependent Darwin opiate users have been informed that their treating doctor will be unable to prescribe opiate based drugs for them from July the 8th. The doctor has been prohibited from prescribing opiate based drugs by the NT Chief Health Officer, who has also referred the doctor to the medical board. The 40 people have less than 2 weeks to access alternative drug treatment, virtually non-existent in the NT.

Since the election of our new Territory government, they have closed the only methadone program, the only detox unit in Darwin and a drug treatment centre at the Daly River Aboriginal Community. Health services are being replaced by a zero tolerance offensive facilitated by the NT Police.

The reality is that these opiate users will be unable to access other GPs as many GPs are concerned that they will also be targeted and persecuted by the NT Department of Health and Community Services.

The options provided by the NT Government are a totally inadequate response to an emergency that they have created. The users will have no choice of the opiate based drug that they are provided with. Buprenorphine, a relatively unproven drug, will be the only option available. Other patients will be referred to surgery for chronic pain issues and others still will receive no treatment or support at all.

What this means is that 40 opiate dependent people are losing their access to opiates and will be forced onto the black-market where one 100mg tablet of Morphine can cost up to $80. This is happening in less than 2 weeks. This is a major human rights violation and will clearly put lives at risk.

The Network Against Prohibition is requesting groups and individuals to show their solidarity with opiate users in the NT. An international day of action has been declared for July the 8th and it is hoped that groups can conduct direct actions on the NT Tourism Commission office in your capital city or the Australian embassy or consulate nearest you.

NAP understands that this is a big ask for people but we have an emergency situation that needs to be dealt with, 40 lives are at risk, not to mention their families. We have demanded that the Chief Health Officer of the NT resign, and that the NT Government immediately restore the treating doctor’s rights to prescribe opiate based drugs.

Those of you who are unable to participate in direct action could express their concerns by writing a letter to the editor of your own local paper and:

The Australian
 letters@theaustralian.com.au

NT News  ntnmail@ntn.newsltd.com.au

Send copy to
 napnt@yahoo.com

 clare.martin@nt.gov.au  jane.aagaard@nt.gov.au

For further information contact:
Gary Meyerhoff 61 (0)415 16 2525 or 61 (8) 8942 0570 or  napnt@yahoo.com