Story by: C. Richard Campbell
Photographs by: C. Richard Campbell
April 9, 2018
Amy Martin, Public Health Nurse of the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit spoke to the Club about the Health Unit's Harm Reduction Program.Growing up in a small town in a rural community, you became familiar with the addictions or substance abuse of cigarettes, booze and the Toronto Maple Leafs. The only Blue Jays we were aware of those many years ago hung out on trees.
Here are some of the highlights of the presentation.
The members of the Club learned that in 2016 our area had the second highest rate of opioid related deaths.
Since 2009, there has been a needle exchange program. Also the Health Unit has been providing street needles and syringes for quite sometime. Hepatitis B often associated with dirty needles can cost the health system about $35,000 a year per patient.
At the left is a photograph of one of the three Simcoe Needle Drop Boxes. You can dispose of your needles, sharps or syringes in these bright yellow containers. The boxes are located to the east of Riversyde 83 (Arygle Parking Lot), the Simcoe Public Library in Governor Simcoe Square and the HN Health Unit on Gilbertson Drive. Diabetics take note. Also the Health Unit is working on a plan focusing on public health crisis. It is comparable to civil disaster plans that most municipalities have in place.
The Naloxone Kit can save a person who has stopped breathing due to an opioid overdose. When administered, Naloxone temporarily reverses the effect of the drug and will get the person breathing for about 30 to 45 minutes. If you think you might need one or someone close to you, consult your Pharmacist.
Nurses always amaze me. They see the worst of mankind human beings and the best. They work with patients/clients who are sometimes far from normal. Amy Martin is a public health nurse who is trying to make a difference in the community and as Rotarians we can relate to that.