Pubdate: Wed, 22 Jul 2015
Source: Lethbridge Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2015 The Lethbridge Herald
Contact:  http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/239
Author: Melissa Villeneuve
Page: A1

ACTION NEEDED ON OVERDOSES

HEALTH MINISTER SAYS NALOXONE KITS ALREADY HAVING AN IMPACT ON OVERDOSES 
ACROSS PROVINCE

More could be done in the fight against opiate overdoses in the
province, admitted Alberta Health Minister Sarah Hoffman. She met with
the executive director at Lethbridge HIV Connection on Tuesday as part
of a tour visiting stakeholders in southern Alberta to learn about the
challenges and opportunities within the region.

Hoffman also met with local MLAs, and visited the Emergency Medical
Service dispatch centre and a number of senior care facilities. Today
she will tour the Chinook Regional Hospital and the Blood Reserve.

The Lethbridge HIV Connection is one of eight agencies in the province
to distribute take-home naloxone kits, a drug which can be injected to
counter the effects of opioids such as fentanyl, oxycodone, morphine,
or heroin.

Alberta Health recognized the need to fund and provide the kits after
opioid overdose deaths skyrocketed across the province, surpassing the
number of deaths from car accidents.

"We just couldn't sit back, and definitely the evidence is that
naloxone is a life-saving drug and it needs to be available to people
who are likely to overdose. Already I've heard of at least five people
whose lives were saved because of accessing naloxone," said Hoffman.
Opiates were linked to 120 deaths in Alberta last year, including at
least 10 on the Blood Tribe reserve. Top opioids used in Lethbridge
are fentanyl, or the illegally-produced "Oxy 80," heroin, and
prescription drugs, according to Stacey Bourque, executive director at
Lethbridge HIV Connection.

"Just in the first two months of this year we've had 50 opiate-related
overdose deaths. Most of those have happened in (our) southwest region
. so these kits are imperative to our service here and saving
lives," said Bourque.

"It's really important that we are able to empower people, regardless
of the choices they are making, so they are able to save their life or
the life of somebody they care about."

Lethbridge-East MLA Maria Fitzpatrick said it's important to note the
issue of opiate overdoses is not limited to the Blood Reserve, but
exists in our city as well. She said she's met with Lethbridge
Regional Police chief Rob Davis to discuss the issue.

"The police are running extra shifts on the weekend because it's a
problem in the bar district," said Fitzpatrick. "The extra shifts have
saved some lives, but if users can come to a facility like this and
access what's available to them, certainly their lives can be saved."

Two hundred naloxone kits arrived last week. A nurse practitioner,
available on Thursdays, will provide education, prescribe, and
dispense the kits to those who currently use, or have a history of
using, opiates.

Each kit contains two doses of naloxone, syringes, alcohol swabs,
gloves, a rescue breathing mask, and instructions.

The kits are free of charge to clients. Family members may attend the
clinic to receive training in prevention and response.

No kits have yet been given out in Lethbridge; however, training was
provided on the Blood Reserve earlier this year.

"We've been part of this initiative since January, and we've had lots
of clients come in. So they're aware. The kits were put together last
week when we received them, so we're really excited to get kits in
people's hands," said Bourque.

Bourque was pleased for the opportunity to meet with Hoffman to talk
about what more could be done to face challenges within our community.
She said they talked about the importance of harm reduction, such as
providing people with safe supplies or the ability to access
life-saving drugs like naloxone, and how it connects people to services.

"The government is recognizing that and providing us with funding to
be able to offer those services to members of our community," said
Bourque. "It's so important. Any time we are able to connect people
with services, the more likely they are to take the next step and
access the next service."

Hoffman said there is a clear deficit in terms of mental health and
addiction support in our community. She's asked MLAs Dr. David Swann
and Danielle Larivee to lead a review of work being done in
communities so the government can build upon best practises and look
at recommendations for the province.

The responsibility to educate people against drug abuse lies not with
one agency, but with the entire community, she said.

"Increasing access to counselling and other supports is definitely
paramount to making sure we can help reduce risk in the future as well."

Another 800 kits will be made available in Medicine Hat, Calgary, Red
Deer, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie and Edson this month
through a project being run by the Alberta Community Council on HIV.

If needed, another 2,250 kits are to be made available, at a total
cost of $300,000 this year.
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MAP posted-by: Matt