Pubdate: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC) Copyright: 2003 Vancouver Courier Contact: http://www.vancourier.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474 Author: David Carrigg Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Safe Injecting Rooms) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction) NO FANFARE OVER SECOND SITE The city's second Health Canada-sanctioned supervised injection site will open next Thursday when the Dr. Peter Centre moves to its new premises at the corner of Comox and Thurlow. Maxine Davis, executive director of the Dr. Peter Centre, said the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority included the centre in its application to Health Canada requesting permission to operate a supervised injection site at 139 East Hastings St. As a result, Health Canada granted a Section 56 exemption to permit legal injection of illegal drugs at both sites. The East Hastings site was opened to the media on Monday morning with much fanfare, but is not yet open to injection drug users. "Health Canada came by to inspect our site when they inspected the Hastings Street one and they've approved us," Davis said. The key difference between the two sites is that the Hastings Street site is for any injection drug users, while the Dr. Peter Centre will be restricted to injection drug users who are registered with the Centre. Opened in April 1997 in a disused part of St. Paul's hospital, the Dr. Peter Centre provides live-in and drop-in support for people who have HIV/AIDS and are living in poverty. The centre was the brainchild of Dr. Peter Jepson-Young, a Vancouver medical doctor, who documented his battle with HIV on CBC TV. He died of AIDS in November 1992. Currently, the centre houses 10 people and has 200 clients registered with the day program. The new Dr. Peter Centre will have 24 beds and is expected to handle more day visits on a weekly basis, compared to its current five-day-a-week service. The $10-million building was constructed on city land and funded by donors and the provincial and federal governments. Davis said a key reason the VCHA decided to fund 24-hour support for an additional 12 beds is because it will reduce the number of people with HIV/AIDS who are currently in hospital beds, either because they need a 24-hour intravenous drip or are chronically sick. "They were prepared to fund the increase from 10 to 24 beds because they need to improve the flow through in St. Paul's Hospital. There are at least six to eight people in St. Paul's who are waiting for us to open so they can move in," Davis said. There is currently a waiting list to get into one of the self-contained suites. Of the 24 beds, 18 will be for residential care, four as palliative suites and two as respite beds. The Dr. Peter Centre has operated a small "harm reduction room" since April 2002, after nurses noticed clients going outside to inject drugs in unsafe and unsanitary conditions. About 20 clients use the room, which is staffed with a nurse. Viviana Zanocco, media relations officer for the VCHA, said the authority has not asked to open any more supervised injection sites in the city. - --- MAP posted-by: Jackl