By Teena Monteleone

Health region to provide take-home naloxone kits

Dec 14, 2016 | 11:00 AM

Take-home Naloxone kits will soon be available for free within the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region. 

Naloxone is an antidote to an opioid such as fentanyl, morphine, heroin, methadone or oxycodone. Used much like an EpiPen, it can restore breathing to someone experiencing an overdose. Steven Mah, manager of Access Place and Outreach Services in Prince Albert, said the health region is preparing to offer this service in the New Year.

“There has been a lot of media attention surrounding fentanyl and opioid use in the province. This is our way of being ready in the event that we see a rise of opioid use and overdose in the region. We are trying to be proactive,” Mah said.

The health region is still working out some details like how and where the free naloxone kits will be distributed. Mah said drug users and family members or caregivers will be able to access the kits and a registered nurse will help train them on how to use it.

Overdose deaths attributed to fentanyl have been rising across Canada. It was confirmed, by the Office of the Chief Coroner, in 22 overdose drug deaths in Saskatchewan in 2015. There were two fentanyl related deaths this year. Lyle Karasiuk of Parkland Ambulance in Prince Albert said, since Jan. 1, paramedics have responded to 234 reported overdoses in the city.

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“Of those, a significant number of them would be what we would consider to be narcotic or opioid overdoses,” Karasiuk added.

Karasiuk believed the kits will make a big difference but said if anyone suspects an overdose of any kind, the best thing to do is call 911.

“We don’t want people getting the misconception that as long as they have the kit they are going to save lives. Naloxone is a quick fix. It’s the answer to get them breathing…but the long term solution relies on other health care professionals and a follow up to the emergency department,” Karasiuk said.

Four other health regions are currently distributing take-home Naloxone kits.

Since November 2015, the Ministry of Health has provided training to 158 people and handed out 108 kits to people across the province through the publicly-funded Take Home Naloxone program.

Teena.Monteleone@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TeenaMonteleone

Editor’s Note: This story was edited at 2 p.m. Dec. 14, 2016 to include statistics provided by the Ministry of Health.