Former addicts of psychoactive substances from Nikšić, who receive buprenorphine as a substitution therapy, are dissatisfied with the treatment at the Nikšić Health Center.
The main complaint is that they have to come every day, which was allegedly not the case before.
"For about ten days now, we have been forced to come every morning to get our medication. In response, we initially received from the staff that Montefarm was in deficit, and therefore that the supply was not regular, and then that the Ministry of Health made such a decision and that we were left to dispense medication on a daily basis, which for all of us represents a violation of our rights and psychological and physical abuse," said the former addicts who gathered in front of the Emergency Department to express their dissatisfaction.
They claim that such a practice does not exist in other health centers, but only in Nikšić, and that patients in other cities who are on buprenorphine substitution therapy receive the aforementioned therapy weekly.
"Due to this method of dispensing medications, a large number of patients are forced to move from their homes to other cities in order to receive therapy. In all other cities, therapy is dispensed on a weekly basis. Many of us have sick children and parents, live in remote places, and transportation is difficult for them... Unfortunately, several of us are sick with the most serious illnesses and are unable to come every day. We are without the right to any kind of vacation or travel. Not to mention work. We demand that our lives return to some kind of normality in the 21st century, that the law be respected and that it be in accordance with the rules in other cities in Montenegro," they emphasized.
As they stated, some former addicts have to come from Žabljak for therapy, which is a problem for them, and they claim to be dissatisfied with the work of the doctor in charge of them.
"Previously, we received therapy on a weekly basis, and for the last two or three years on a bi-daily basis and we did not complain. We have been receiving it on a daily basis for about ten days now. We are not in another country so that one law applies to everyone and another to us. We are grateful to the Minister of Health Vojislav Šimun and the head of the department Sandra Pestorić who immediately responded to our request and ordered an inspection to visit the Nikšić Health Center and determine whether there are any irregularities in its work," they said.
As they said, there are 40-50 of them undergoing buprenorphine substitution therapy at the Nikšić Health Center, and a number of their friends, who were part of the program, have unfortunately passed away.
"One of the responses we received from the doctor's staff in charge of us is that they will punish us for the alleged misuse of medications. We ask the competent institutions to determine the guilt, if any, to what extent and in what quantity this happened, and we have information that we would be happy to share with the prosecution. This way of working and the attitude towards us has violated the law on several counts, and our lawyers will continue to deal with this. We are only asking for the provision of therapy on a weekly basis, so that we can continue our lives, which are already threatened," the former addicts said.
The Health Center responded that they are following the rules and working in accordance with the guidelines.
"Buprenorphine substitution therapy at the Nikšić Health Center is provided in accordance with the guidelines for pharmacotherapy of opiate addicts issued by the then Ministry of Health in July 2017. The new guidelines are in the process of being adopted and will be followed when they are adopted," the Health Center responded.
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