The Northern Health Authority wrapped up its board meeting on Wednesday, which covered unregulated drug poisoning numbers in the region.
Between July and August, the health authority held the highest rate of unregulated drug deaths, sitting at 46 deaths per 100,000 individuals.
“The main pain point that we all recognize is the significant number of overdose deaths we’re seeing in the north.” said Medical Health Officer Dr. Rakel Kling.
“We do know that Northern Health does have the highest rate of overdose deaths. Northern Health is very committed to working with the province, and to further support saving lives in the north.”
Since August, Prince George has had four toxic drug alerts and overdose advisories, seven across the health authority, which Dr. Kling said highlights how toxic the unregulated drugs are currently.
According to Northern Health, from January to June it has seen a 37.5 per cent drop in deaths compared to 2024, with June having 6 deaths, down from 22 the same time last year.
“It’s very likely this is just a temporary trend, so it’s very important that we continue with all of the measures that we’re taking to save lives.” said Dr. Kling.
“That’s including take home naloxone, overdose prevention sites, things like the Lifeguard or Be Safe mobile app.”
Some safety tips Dr. Kling noted include:
- Never using alone
- Having someone else nearby or using one of the apps in case of an overdose
- Carry naloxone
- Test a small amount first and go slow
- Don’t mix drugs with other drugs and/or alcohol
The full board meeting agenda can be found here.
More information about Northern Health can be found here.
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