Haliburton Highlands Health Services is taking steps to help people who overdose on opioids. Health services’ mental health division wants to establish itself as a naloxone distribution site.
According to H.H.H.S. President and C.E.O. Carolyn Plummer, anyone will be able to get training from staff on how to apply the naloxone nasal spray if an opioid user overdoses.
Plummer didn’t have specific numbers on opioid usage or deaths for the county but says according to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, someone in Ontario dies every 10 hours due to an overdose.
Plummer adds that in the coming weeks H.H.H.S. staff will be trained and establishing procedures to make sure the naloxone spray is available for anyone who may need it free of charge. The kits are being funded by the M.O.H.L.T.C