Pubdate: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 Source: Alberni Valley Times (CN BC) Copyright: 2009 Alberni Valley Times Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouverisland/albernivalleytimes/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4043 Author: Shayne Morrow Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange) INFECTION RATES DROP AS NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAM EVOLVES The Vancouver Island Health Authority has announced it is expanding its needle exchange and related harm-reduction program. This week, VIHA released figures to show that new infection rates for both hepatitis C and HIV have decreased during the past five years on Vancouver Island. Part of that can be attributed to increased efforts to get "harm-reduction supplies" likes clean needles, condoms and educational materials to addicts, but the Alberni Valley has had its own health crisis to deal with, according to Janice Jesperson, clinical co-ordinator at the local health unit. "We do everything through the health unit, and more people are now using our service," Jesperson said. "Partly, that's because of the TB outbreak we've been dealing with. That's allowed our outreach workers to contact more people." In 2008, VIHA contracted NARSF (formerly the Nanaimo Area Resource and Services for Families, now just NARSF) to operate a mobile needle exchange program in Port Alberni. NARSF executive director Gord Cote said the original model proved unsuccessful. "Since April, we've been working with local service providers to set up a peer and secondary distributive model," Cote said. Simply put, that means addicts help one another, and agencies like local pharmacies and non-profits provide those clean needles, condoms, sterile water and alcohol swabs. "We attach quite a lot of education on it, as well," Jesperson said. "Things as straightforward as how to inject, and where to inject, and about moving away from the more dangerous drugs." Cote said that while supplying addicts with materials to prevent infection is one part of the picture, it's not a long-term solution. "If you're just surviving, it's a lot harder to make that decision to change things. Getting people a little healthier helps them make that decision to seek treatment," Cote said. "We know that safe, adequate housing is critical to bring about lifestyle change." According to VIHA, a full list of new needle exchange sites will be announced over the next few weeks. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake