‘Soft approach’ urged for OD prevention site

Niagara’s acting medical officer of health is urging Niagara’s public health and social services committee to take a deep breath before writing angry letters to the province demanding that an overdose prevention site previously approved for St. Catharines be opened as soon as possible.

Dr. Mustafa Hirji told councillors Tuesday that health department staff share the community’s anger and disappointment about the delayed opening of the site, pending a provincial government review of the program.

However, he said provincial government representatives have suggested that “the Ministry of Health is likely not to respond well to a whole bunch of angry voices coming at them.”

“Rather, it is best to take a soft approach. Let them do their review. We’re going to give input into that review, and that is likely to have the best chance of success.”

The ministry has previously stated that its review of overdose prevention sites would likely be concluded by the end of September, and until that time no new sites are to be opened.

Hirji said the local health department has been working through partner agencies, expressing concerns to the ministry about the delays, “and our stance is that the messages we’re sending are being received.”

“I just want to be cautious here about taking too strong of an approach,” he said. “Obviously, we feel very passionately about this and want to come blazing out of the gates on this. But you obviously also want to do what’s going to be successful.”

Niagara Falls Coun. Bob Gale pointed out that an estimated 116 people have died from opioid overdoses in Niagara in 2016 and 2017, and questioned why the province slammed the brakes on overdose prevention sites.

Hirji said the government may be concerned that the sites could be enablers for people with opioid addictions. Instead, he said, a focus for the sites is to refer people into addiction treatment programs, “to make interventions and help them get the resources so they feel they have the ability to start to get off those opioids.”

Meanwhile, Hirji said, concerns that physicians may be over-prescribing opioids is also a priority for the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

“One of the strongest predictors of people becoming addicted to opioids often is a physician or other health-care provider that has over-prescribed it or inappropriately prescribed it as pain medication to that person,” he said.