Alberta Health Services expands access to naloxone kits as fentanyl deaths rise
原始发布日期： 2016-02-03 发布者：李方字变大 字变小
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 02: A pharmacist at a Walgreens store holds a box of the overdose antidote Naloxone Hydrochloride on February 2, 2016 in New York City. Hundreds of Duane Reade and Walgreen Co. pharmacies will begin giving out the heroin antidote without a prescription across New York state as the heroin epidemic continues to spread. Naloxone, more commonly known by the brand name Narcan, can temporarily block the effects of heroin, OxyContin and other painkillers. It is estimated that one person dies every day in New York from a drug overdose. Spencer Platt / Edmonton JournalAlberta Health Services, with funding from Alberta Health, is distributing 4,000 take-home naloxone kits and providing training as part of its response to increasing fentanyl-related deaths in the province. The kits are going to the walk-in clinics and eight harm-reduction sites, including Streetworks Edmonton, which is affiliated with Boyle Street Co-op in the inner city. “We are continually looking at ways to reduce the devastating impact this lethal drug is having in our province. Improving access to these naloxone kits is one element in our government’s overall strategy in working with our partners to address the harmful impact of fentanyl,” said Sarah Hoffman, deputy premier and health minister. Last year in Alberta, there were 272 overdose deaths involving fentanyl, up from 120 in 2014. A full list of dispensing sites is available online at http://www.drugsfool.ca. Call Health Link at 811 for more information on fentanyl or naloxone. (Calgary Herald) |