Province too slow on opioid response
Opioid addiction can happen to anyone, and it’s happening to many people in Saskatchewan.
This includes Jordan Wakelam, an accomplished hockey player whose opioid addiction began with a workplace injury and a doctor’s prescription. The 30-year-old died of a suspected fentanyl overdose on Jan. 27. This is just one of the stories media in Saskatchewan have told about lives lost to overdoses in recent weeks.
The scourge of this drug, which is at least 100 times as powerful as morphine, is not letting up.
Back in November, this editorial board called upon the government to pick up the pace on its response to opioids and fentanyl in particular. Besides increasing the availability of Naloxone kits, it is difficult to see any change in the effort in fighting the opioid crisis.
Health Minister Jim Reiter seems to have trouble easily articulating what specific steps are being taken. When his government was criticized for not earmarking funds for the issue in the recent provincial budget, he pointed to an $11 million increase to mental health funding and said that was part of the approach.
“It’s not always easy to segregate that funding” between mental health and addictions because the two often overlap, Reiter said.
“We’re going to try and focus on that as much as we can. All addictions are important, but the fentanyl and crystal meth seem to be sort of very front-of-mind right now.”
Fentanyl can’t be “sort of very front-of-mind.” There needs to be clarity and intensity around fighting the problem.
Alberta has a clearly defined strategy. A website includes specific information in no less than 10 languages. It includes a checklist in case of an overdose and has a link to help people find treatment. There is an active opioid emergency response commission and grants to help raise awareness of the issues in that province.
A task force was struck about a year ago to focus on the opioid issue. The multi-agency task force has been making sure ministries and front-line agencies are working together. It is currently developing a plan that will co-ordinate real-time public release of information when a rash of overdoses occurs. More work around Naloxone kits, training of front line workers and talks with doctors about opioid prescription issues are also on their agenda.
This indeed is important work. However, there also needs to be a sense of urgency about public education and preventing future deaths that is clear to the public. And this needs to be a focus right now.
Lives are at stake, and the government must start acting like this is the case.