Pubdate: Wed, 14 Sep 2016
Source: Metro (Ottawa, CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 Metro
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/Ottawa
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4032
Author: Evelyn Harford
Page: 6

OTTAWA NEEDS AT LEAST TWO SUPERVISED INJECTION SITES: EXPERT

Ottawa should aim to have two or three supervised injection sites in
locations most likely to be used by drug users, said Ahmed M. Bayoumi,
a researcher and physician at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto.

Bayoumi,helped conduct a recent study on the cost-effectiveness of
supervised injection sites in Toronto and Ottawa. They found that the
optimal number for Ottawa was two.

But with overdoses on the rise in Ottawa, Bayoumi said the study might
have underestimated that number.

While one supervised injection site would be cost-effective, Bayoumi
said, it wouldn't provide the maximum benefits to drug users themselves.

Rob Boyd, Oasis program director at the Sandy Hill Community Health
Centre, says a larger number of smaller sites would be more beneficial.

"We've been living with a serious opiate use epidemic, for the past 20
years, but the stakes have been raised by the powered bootleg
fentanyl," said Boyd, who is a front-line worker with drug users.

The city's concentrated drug use helps when it comes to picking
locations for the supervised injection sites.

Four community health centres in Ottawa are looking at offering
supervised injection services to drug addicts, according to the
Campaign for Safer Consumption Sites in Ottawa.

The Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, at its Nelson Street location,
could be the first.

Boyd said the centre would apply for a federal exemption through
Health Canada so that it can open a supervised injection site this
fall.
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MAP posted-by: Matt