By Spencer Sterritt

Health officials concerned about overdose future

Jan 19, 2017 | 10:55 AM

NANAIMO — After a surge of overdose-related fatalities in Nanaimo, health officials are bracing themselves for a tragic new norm and looking at fresh alternatives.

According to new statistics from the B.C. Coroners Service, Nanaimo saw 29 overdoses in 2016, 155 for Vancouver Island and a total of 914 people succumbed to drug use in B.C. throughout the year.

Dr. Paul Hasselback, the medical health officer for Central Vancouver Island, said November and December were their highest recorded months for overdoses, with six deaths. He said he and other health workers were discouraged by the rise given everything they’ve done to try and combat the health crisis.

“Everyone needs to band together, right from starting in schools educating students about making good choices, to early prevention with young adults who are experimenting, right through to working closely with the using community,” he said.

Looking ahead to 2017, Hasselback said providing more assistance and time to youth and young adults showing an interest in illicit substances is crucial and they need to bring more people to the table.

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“We’re going to see the re-establishment of an overdose prevention site that isn’t just based on volunteers. I’m grateful for what they’ve done but that’s almost a full-time job and I think going forward we’ll be able to be better with a structured and policy-driven overdose prevention site, not to take away from the great work they’ve done.”

He cited the “aggressive” distribution of naloxone kits around the city and increased volunteer and professional support as positives in their fight against overdose-related deaths.

More and more, Hasselback said he’s heard stories of reversed overdoses rather than deaths, such as a recent incident at the Onsite pop-up safe consumption site where a man overdosed but survived.

Rural areas of Vancouver Island have been rocked by overdose deaths as well. According to the coroner’s report, 28 fatal overdoses were recorded in Cental Vancouver Island outside the Nanaimo region.

Hasselback said it’s something they’re looking carefully at and they’re working to establish a response group in the area, much like what was formed in Nanaimo.

“Everyone has seen this surge of doubling, sometimes more, in terms of the number of fatalities. This has become an island-wide crisis and it’s going to require an island-wide response that has to be delivered in each community.”

Despite the strong effort by civilians and health officials to combat the rise of overdoses in the area, Hasselback said they’re becoming increasingly discouraged.

“Though things have been bad for a long time and people have heard how bad it’s been for months…we’re now faced with something that’s even worse. That may become our new norm going forward and that’s what has most of us concerned.”