Opioid Crisis

By Cheryl Jahn

Opioid Crisis in Northern Health

Northern Health plan to address drug deaths

Jul 8, 2019 | 2:23 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The number of opioid-related deaths in Northern Health has grown 35% between 2017 and 2018, making it the second highest location for overdose deaths in BC.

As a result, Northern Health has created a plan to address the issue. One of the education around reducing the stigma associated with drug use. Following the Stop Stigma, Save Lives campaign, a new regional position has been created to address and reduce stigma in Northern BC.

“The thing I most worry about is related to stigma and reducing barriers to people accessing care,” says Dr. Sandra Allison, Chief Medical Health Officer.

Another program is the Take Home Naloxone program as a harm reduction tool. Northern Health will also continue with its overdose prevention site in the Needle Exchange location on Third Avenue. Northern Health says since it opened its doors in December of 2016, staff have responded to at least 171 overdoses and 13,288 visits. That’s an increase of 81%.

But, while harm reduction is the goal, one front line workers says the plan doesn’t go far enough. Jordan Harris with the POUNDS Program says ready access to clean and safe drugs is needed.

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“We know that it will keep them alive because we’ve seen projects like the Naomi Project and the Salem Project down in Vancouver, with prescription heroin, injectable opiates, stuff like that. When they’re regulated and people know what they’re taking, they’re not going to die.”

Dr. Allison says one area that needs work is in the area of supports to those with issues other than addiction before they turn to drugs needs more attention.

“One overdose death signifies a number of people who have presented to our Emergency Rooms or who have overdosed in our community. They come from a body of people who use drugs in our community that is very large. We have many, many people who use substances across the North to cope.”