OD crisis swamping emergency rooms
Vernon hospital reported 115 overdoses between June 1, 2016 and Jan. 15, 2017
Sixty per cent of emergency department-reported drug overdoses in Interior Health from June 1, 2016 to Jan. 15, 2017 occurred in the Okanagan, the health authority reports.
In that time, there were 450 total overdoses reported at emergency departments across the Interior.
Drug overdose cases have been on the rise, with the provincial health officer declaring a public state of emergency over it last year.
Increasing drug overdoses are a concern to the community, said one Kelowna resident who intervened in a supposed overdose incident Wednesday afternoon.
“I was leaving a business with some product and I saw a woman in need; she was unconscious and not breathing in the alley, so I started to give her CPR, then I was attacked by somebody,” said Mike, who did not wish to provide his last name.
“I stopped assisting the person in need and defended myself, and some guy driving by in a pickup truck stopped to help fight this guy off with me.”
Eventually, an ambulance arrived on scene and took the woman away, he said.
Police were not aware of this incident, said Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey.
Interior Health keeps count of overdose patients who attend hospitals for treatment.
From June 1, 2016 to Jan. 15, 2017, Vernon Jubilee Hospital saw the most drug overdoses in the Interior, with 115 overdoses, or 27 per cent of all overdoses in the region, according to a report released by IH.
Kamloops' Royal Inland Hospital saw the next highest at 114 overdoses, or 26 per cent of all overdoses in the region.
Kelowna General Hospital's emergency department saw 82 drug overdoses in that time, or 19 per cent of all overdoses in the region, followed by Penticton Regional Hospital at 50 overdoses, or 12 per cent of all overdoses.
The least number of overdoses reported were in Oliver and 100 Mile House, at seven overdoses and two per cent of all overdoses each.
Only hospitals with greater than five reported overdoses were included in the report.
These numbers only reflect reported overdoses at emergency departments.