There are currently 38 prisoners receiving methadone treatment to help cure their drug addiction, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri has revealed. 

The number is almost half of that registered in March 2020, when there were 70 prisoners receiving the treatment. 

Methadone is a prescription drug used to treat opioid addiction and is usually given to heroin addicts to help them wean off illegal drugs. 

The minister released the figures in response to a question by PN MP Beppe Fenech Adami on Tuesday.

During the inauguration of a new medical centre at Corradino Correctional Facility, it was reported that last year inmates used up to around three litres of methadone every single day, whilst now, the prison uses less than a litre of the substance on prisoners. 

Camilleri said that there are 16 detainees who receive treatment on a residential basis to help them recover from their drug addiction.

Currently, 185 prisoners are receiving psychological treatment from psychologists or social workers to help them overcome their drug addiction. 

Answering another parliamentary question related to prison, Camilleri said that currently there are 225 men who do not have a final sentence and are under pre-trial detention. There are also 15 female prisoners who are under pre-trial detention. 

He also said that currently there are 57 female prisoners in Corradino, 39 being Maltese and 19 who are foreigners. 

He listed the countries of those foreign female prisoners; 
UK, Cote D’Ivoire, Eritrea, France, Guinea, Hungary, Indonesia, Morocco, Nigeria, Panama, Somalia, Spain and Venezuela. 

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