According to statistics from the Hoa Binh department of labour, war invalids and social affairs, 121 communes and wards, 56 percent of the communes and wards in the province, are free of drugs.

The result has been attributed to drastic changes in communication work in localities.

Hoa Binh has established 42 social problem prevention and control clubs with 1,315 members; held drug prevention communication contests that have draw 864,000 participants; and organised hundreds of training courses on drug prevention for nearly 55,000 people.

Provincial authorities have co-operated with local administrations to carry out six investigations of the drug situations in every commune and ward in order to issue appropriate detoxification measures.

Under the programmes, almost 1,250 people have been sent to rehabilitation centres and 400 others, detoxified in the community.

BTA