Dr. Mike Benusic is Island Health's new medical health officer, replacing Dr. Paul Hasselback who retired earlier in July. (Island Health)

By Alex Rawnsley

IN THE DEEP END

Duelling public health emergencies confronts new Island medical health officer

Jul 30, 2020 | 1:09 PM

NANAIMO — Island Health’s new Medical Health Officer joins the region at a trying time.

Mike Benusic took over as the central Island’s top public health official in early July, replacing Dr. Paul Hasselback who retired after nine years in the role.

Benusic takes the reigns amid duelling public health emergencies trending in vastly different directions for Vancouver Island. As COVID-19 numbers remain largely stagnant in the region, Vancouver Island has seen back-to-back record high months of overdose deaths.

“It’s incredibly unfortunate and tragic to see that after many years seeing a decrease in overdoses across the Island that we are now seeing those numbers not only escalate but go to new highs,” Benusic told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Seven people died from overdose in June 2020, bringing the total number of fatalities to 20 through the first six months of the year. A total of 27 people passed away on Vancouver Island in all of 2019 due to overdose.

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Benusic added the challenge of the current climate is public health advice to curb the COVID-19 spread is sometimes a direct contradiction to the fight against the opioid crisis.

“(The rise in overdose deaths) correlates with us telling everyone to stay home and stay away from other people and we know when it comes to overdoses, that’s the last thing that people should be doing.”

Prevention will be a main focus for Benusic, who completed schooling at UBC before moving to Toronto to be a family physician and work in public health.

Benusic said many public health interventions come after the fact, when it can sometimes be too late to make meaningful change. He said the opportunity to promote prevention of medical issues was the primary driver for taking the medical health officer role.

“In opioids where we’re trying to help those who are already affected, the ones already using substances and are at risk of dying,” Benusic said. “But we need to look upstream as well, at how do we prevent people from being in situations where they end up in an emergency room.”

Housing, access to affordable recreation and quality food were highlighted by Benusic as key drivers in illness prevention.

The local strategy for COVID-19 will remain largely the same during this period of transition for Island Health.

Vancouver Island has largely weathered the storm, accounting for just four percent of B.C.’s total number of cases to date.

However Benusic said now is not the time to let the guard down, given the presence of a COVID-19 ‘bon fire’ burning in Washington state and several smaller flare ups in the interior and Alberta.

“With these fires continuing to burn, the opportunity for a fire to catch on the Island is going to increase,” Benusic said. “We have to remain vigilant and keep on adhering to the guidance. It may seem difficult to do especially with very low (levels) of COVID on the Island, but it’s incredibly essential to be doing.”

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley