Fentanyl: the British Columbia unveiled a plan to stem the crisis overdose

Carmine Marinelli/QMI Agency
The premier of British Columbia, John Horgan.

QMI agency

Saturday, 30 September 2017 20:42

UPDATE
Saturday, 30 September 2017 20:42

Look at this article

VICTORIA, C.-B. | To contain many overdoses of fentanyl that affect British Columbia, the new ndp government has announced the setting up of a crisis fund community.

The province, which is facing a major public health crisis related to overdose, also intends to expand the rapid access to addiction treatment.

Each day in British Columbia, four people die as a result of an overdose or after having consumed drugs to be contaminated, including fentanyl. According to the office of the chief coroner of the province, 876 fatal overdoses have occurred since the beginning of the year, the fentanyl being involved in 81 % of cases.

The plan to combat the overdose was unveiled by prime minister John Horgan, who has pointed out that other measures will be added over the next few months.

“Today, we are taking significant actions to save lives, put an end to the stigma, provide to the communities and people the help they need and stop the addiction before it starts,” said Mr. Horgan. People lose their loved ones. Families, communities, and workers who are on the front line in the face of an enormous weight, and it is time to give them the support they need.”

Thus, Victoria will establish a new innovation fund crisis community, which will have a budget of $ 3 million in 2017-2018, and $ 6 million for the two subsequent years.

The ndp government also intends to ensure that people will have even faster access to services, including to treat addiction. The opening hours of several clinics will be extended, so that new access points will be provided.

The program “Take Home Naloxone” (Bring naloxone to the house) will receive $ 2 million additional, so that more kits are available on the ground, including in pharmacies. It is also a question of providing more training in how to administer naloxone and save lives.

The police and the groups specialized in the fight against narcotic drugs, share by approximately $ 32 million to deploy more resources to curb the crisis of overdoses and hit the laboratories that manufacture the drug.

First responders and people on the ground will be further supported, according to Victoria, which will provide more money to the teams, especially those that are mobile.

Finally, under the plan of the British Columbia, an awareness campaign will be launched, aimed particularly at men aged 30 to 60 years, who are the main victims of the crisis of the fentanyl.