AHS focuses on harm-reduction approach to needle debris
Community backlash to the ongoing opioid crisis and needle debris is something communities across the world are dealing with, according to the lead medical officer for Alberta Health Services in the South.
Speaking to local media Friday from Chinook Regional Hospital, Dr. Vivien Suttorp said the focus for AHS is on a harm-reduction approach in regards to the opioid crisis.
“With harm reductions, we provide services to individuals who are addicted to opioids and who are unable or unwilling to seek treatment,” she said. “We support them in safe practices, and we support them in ensuring they have links to community organizations and social supports as required, and that they have appropriate education.”
Needles can be contaminated with blood-borne viruses, such as hepatitis B and C or HIV. But she said in most cases, a virus is only active for a few minutes on a needle.
“HIV will only last in the hollow bore of a needle for mere minutes,” she said. “So most of the time, the needles you find are what we call ‘cold’ needles.”
However, accidental needle pokes are taken seriously by health workers.
Anyone who has been poked by a needle is asked to wash the area very well with soap and water and then call HealthLink.
It is extremely rare for someone who has been poked with a needle to contract a blood-borne disease, according to Suttorp.
She also said immunizations are an important part of self protection.
“All children receive hepatitis B vaccine,” she said. “Hepatitis B is one of the viruses that lasts longer in a needle. So make sure your children are up to date.
In the past year and a half, HealthLink calls for pediatric needle sticks have not increased, according to Suttorp, averaging between one and three per month. But there are no details available on where and how those incidents take place.
In the three months prior to the opening of the supervised consumption site, about 68,000 needles hit the streets of Lethbridge with a return rate of around 45 per cent. In the three months since the SCS has opened, about 55,000 syringes have gone out with a 95 per cent return rate.
Stacey Bourque, executive director at ARCHES, said everyone who takes needles as part of the clean needle program are encouraged to return them, and that anyone who takes needles out of the building is provided with a free biohazard container.
ARCHES follows best practices developed by the World Health Organization.
“The outlined best practice from the (WHO) is that you operate as a distribution program,” said Bourque. “You don’t limit access to syringes or restrict access regardless of the fact you are operating an (SCS). And you don’t require a onefor-one exchange.”
Bourque said ARCHES does what it can to encourage the return of used needles. But there is no way to track syringes and ARCHES is unable to require they be returned.
One-time use syringes are the most effective way to prevent the spread of disease.
Bourque dismissed calls on social media that addicts be allowed to infect each other with blood-borne diseases through a needle reduction.
“There isn’t a communicable disease we know of that is contained within one subpopulation,” she said. “Eventually, it’s going to make its way out into the general population.”
To further add to the risk, fewer needles might actually increase the risk of contracting a blood-borne virus for anyone who accidentally received a needle poke.
The distribution of harmreduction material such as needles is a provincial initiative and is not funded by the City. However, waste management is the responsibility of the municipalities.
Bourque said the issue of who is responsible for the management of needle debris is a complex one with many moving parts.
Bourque said ARCHES will be releasing more information regarding some of the suggestions made in the community such as needle exchanges and retractable needle use.
“We tried (retractable needles) as a pilot program six months ago and there were a few issues with that,” she said. “We’re talking about people who don’t necessarily have safe injection practices.”
She said ARCHES looks at all suggestions put forward by the community.
“We appreciate all suggestions that come forward, and we take them all seriously,” she said. “But we have looked at or tried a lot of the things being suggested.”
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