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CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — It has been nearly three years since Prince Edward Island got permission to open an overdose prevention site. In that time, the province hired a harm reduction co-ordinator, purchased needle disposal boxes and a drug testing machine and pitched locations for the overdose prevention site.
“We have to continue down the path to figure out what’s the best way to deliver these services the best we can,” he said in a February interview. “Overdose prevention sites have been shown to prevent overdose deaths, reduce public substance use and connect more people to services like treatment and housing.
The province told Angele DesRoches, the organization's program director that the project is “paused or on hold.” “Timelines were adjusted to carry out activities over a two-year period, and unfortunately those activities do not include an overdose prevention site,” said DesRoches.Since the city voted down the Park Street location, the Chief Public Health Office has made two public service announcements about spikes in fentanyl overdoses. Last month, seven people overdosed in one day. And last week, five people overdosed over a weekend.
In answer to concerns that PEERS may not be qualified for the job, DesRoches said that part of that evidence shows a site doesn’t need to be run by public health nurses but does require significant training for staff.
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