- GREECE; THESSALONIKI
-
- OKANA = Organisation for Combating Drugs
-
- OKANA is an independent organisation operating
under supervision of the ministry of health. Their activities are:
- -to promote the national policy on drugs
- -research/inform public/ spread awareness nation
wide
- -establish therapy units, fund prevention
programmes
- 19, Aristotelous
- Athens 104 33
- GREECE
- tel. +30.1.825.37.56-59
- fax +30.1.825.37.60
- e-mail: okana@otenet.gr
- Substitution programme of Thessaloniki /
Thessaloniki Unit of OKANA
-
- The centre is able to treat 100 patients at a
time.
- Patients who want to enter the programme on a
permanent basis have to apply and are put on a waiting list, which is very long!
- The centre employs four doctors, five nurses,
three psychiatrists, two social workers, two psychologists and three people are involved
with management tasks.
- Main goal of this centre is detoxification. Doses
of methadone and duration of treatment are highly individualised.
-
- The centre offers to patients:
- -medical care
- -social assistance
- -psychiatric care and psycho-therapy
- -other medication: next to the methadone
programme, there is a programme with naltrexone.
-
- The centre demands from patients:
- -daily attendance
- -urine checks
- -mandatory meeting with social work
- -abstinence from illegal drugs
- Patients can be expelled from the programme in
case of violence and in case of some medical issues.
-
- It is possible for a patient from another
programme to receive methadone for a short period of time.
- The centre cannot treat more than two foreign
patients at the same time. Treatment of patients from outside is limited to 15 - 20 days.
- Methadone is dispensed on a daily basis, once a
day. Take-home doses are not given. Urine tests are obligatory.
- The centre prefers patients that are stabilised on
relatively low methadone doses, no more than 80 mg/day. English and French are spoken by
the staff.
-
- The centre has to be informed beforehand by phone,
letter or fax.
- A letter by his/her doctor is needed which
indicates:
- -identity of patient
- -treatment history
- -dose
- -period for which methadone is requested
- -references where the above mentioned information
can be checked.
-
- There are no costs involved.
-
- Address:
- OKANA, Thessaloniki Unit:
- 34, Evzonon Street
- 54640 Thessaloniki
- Contact person: APOSTOLOS D. KALOYIANNIS
(psychiatrist)
- Phone: +30.31.86.88.95.97
- Fax: +30.31.86.88.97
- E-mail: okathes1@otenet.gr