The Middlesex-London Health Unit is getting more provincial funding to battle the opioid crisis in the community.
The $250,000 is part of the $15-million, to be split among 36 public health units, announced by Ontario Health Minister Dr. Eric Hoskins.
“This new funding will create opportunities for some important local innovation. We need to think out of the box, and find solutions that don’t exist yet in London and Middlesex. We are hoping that partners will join us in using a social innovation approach to tackle opioid abuse in this region,” says Dr. Chris Mackie, Middlesex-London's Medical Officer of Health. “Last year, our Board of Health endorsed and funded the creation of a street-level outreach team that has been actively working in our city to engage with people who inject drugs where they are, and to provide the kind of support they need on the ground.”
The health unit says the money should also allow it to enhance its Naloxone Program. It's hoped the health unit will be able to make Naloxone kits more widely available. Naloxone is used to stop the effects of an overdose until the user can get to a hospital.
“We’re already at work on having Naloxone kits available at pharmacies for families and friends of those who are addicted to these powerful drugs, but we need to cast a wider net," says Mackie. "Naloxone saves lives – we are seeing it work here. It needs to be in first aid kits and anywhere there’s an Automatic External Defibrillator.”
Like many communities across Canada, London and Middlesex County are seeing a troubling number of people becoming addicted to opioids. Overdoses are also a growing concern. Earlier this month, London police voiced concerns after officers responded to six incidents in one weekend in which eight people experienced overdoses. One of those people died.
About a year ago, the health unit declared a local public health emergency because HIV rates were climbing at the same time provincial rates were falling. Rates of Hepatitis C were also increasing. The health unit says the increases were among the area's injection drug using population.
In February, results of the Ontario Integrated Supervised Injection Services Study were released and recommended that a Supervised Injection Site be set up in Old East London.
The OISIS study also found that, of the 199 injection drug users in London that were surveyed, 65% said they inject drugs daily, 72% said they do so in public places, and 22% reported syringe sharing.