By Spencer Sterritt

Nanaimo’s overdose prevention site saves nearly 90 people in its first year

Apr 4, 2018 | 6:05 PM

NANAIMO — Nearly 90 possibly fatal overdoses were averted either at or around Nanaimo’s overdose prevention site during its first year.

Island Health statistics showed there were 62 overdoses inside and 25 overdoses in the vicinity of the site on Wesley St. since it opened at the end of January 2017.

As of March 31, 2018, it was visited more than 10,900 times.

“That’s a very large number of visits which still represents a small fraction of the time users are consuming substances on the Island,” medical health officer Dr. Paul Hasselback told NanaimoNewsNOW.

There were 51 fatal overdoses in Nanaimo in 2017, many of them in private homes.

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Hasselback said the downtown overdose prevention site has become entrenched in the community and is a familiar place for people to use. However, he said it only helps an estimated 40 per cent of the Nanaimo residents in need since it’s located in the middle of a sprawling city.

To help the other 60 per cent of illicit drug users in Nanaimo, Hasselback said there are many challenges to overcome.

“I think it’s really important there be strong leadership and a strong city council which is actually willing to do something, not the council we currently have in terms of the actions they’ve avoided over the last period of time.”

He cited their decision to not rezone the current overdose prevention site into a supervised consumption site, as well as the rejection of a $7 million provincially-funded supportive housing complex in south Nanaimo.

“We’ve seen barriers and fences put up and security in place, which is absolutely sending the wrong message about how we can work better with individuals in need of a health service.”

The often insurmountable stigma illicit drug users face in the community is also hampering larger efforts, Hasselback said. Much of the conversation online around the Wesley St. location hasn’t changed since the doors first opened, with many concerned about increasing crime and disorder in the area.

“There are a few individuals whose lack of compassion has clearly come forward in comments that are degrading and probably unacceptable (and) I think has really led to some of the challenges with saving lives.”

When asked directly, Hasselback said he believed public concern and complaints about an increase of crime in the area is part of a larger city-wide problem.

“Unfortunately we’ve seen crime increase across Nanaimo about 50 per cent over the last two years in a fairly linear fashion. The overdose prevention site probably didn’t change the trend that was happening across the community.”

Hasselback presented to Nanaimo Council in late February, accusing them of inaction and urging them to reconsider their decision against a supervised consumption site and reduce zoning limitations.

More than a month later, Hasselback said he’s seen very little progress.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit