A Public Health Emergency was called for the Province of British Columbia on Thursday, April 14th to address the emerging overdose crisis. A brief examination of the statistics for 2015 and the first three months of 2016 are shocking to say the least. Some of them include:
· 476 apparent illicit drug overdose deaths in 2015, a 30.4% increase in deaths from 2014 (365 deaths)*
· 201 suspected overdose deaths in BC over the first three months of 2016 alone*
· 800 potential overdose deaths in 2016 predicted by the BC Ministry of Health’s (see link to press release above)
While we are encouraged by the recognition of this crisis we feel the steps being taken by the Provincial Minister of Health are insufficient to stay this crisis and end these tragic and preventable deaths. While there is no one service or solution that can end this health emergency, we are convinced that the immediate provision of Supervised Injection Service (SIS) will save lives, stay the flow of non-fatal overdoses, ease the burden on our front line service providers and first responders, and allow valuable health care resources to be used for their intended purposes.
Please find attached a letter directed to both the Federal and Provincial Health Ministers asking for the following:
1. A robust and significant investment on the part of the Provincial and Federal Governments in the form of sustained core funding from the provincial government, and capital infrastructure grants from the federal government to facilitate the immediate creation of Supervised Injection Services in the Province of British Columbia.
2. The Province of British Columbia immediately seek a blanket Section 56 exemption for all contracted service providing Harm Reduction Services to facilitate the immediate creation of Supervised Injection Services in the province of British Columbia.
The devastation caused by the lack of proven and effective health care solutions cannot be overstated. The evidence and expertise are abundant, and all we await is the political will to end the crisis and save lives now.
We urge your organization to sign on to this call to action by allowing us to attach your logo to the letter.