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Public Health Program Saves Lives

Monday, 29 August 2016 06:28

The Take Home Naloxone Program continues to help save lives in Oxford County.

OXFORD COUNTY - The Take Home Naloxone Program has been saving lives throughout Oxford County.

Oxford County Public Health started offering the program about two years ago, with a goal of reducing the number of opioid overdose deaths in the county.

People at risk of experiencing an overdose sign up for the program and they learn more about overdose risks. They also get to take home a Naloxone kit.

Public Health Nurse Lisa Gillespie explains how Naloxone saves lives.

"What Naloxone does is reverses that respiratory arrest for a short period of time - 60 to 90 minutes - to stimulate that person to start breathing again so there's time for 911 to intervene and get that person to the hospital."

Gillespie tells Heart FM how many lives the program has saved so far.

"We have heard back from five people that have used the kit to reverse an overdose and save a life which I think is amazing. I think there's probably more people out there that perhaps have used the kit and maybe for whatever reason haven't reported back."

Oxford County Public Health has sent 38 Naloxone kits home with at risk people.

Gillespie says the Ministry of Health has also sped up the process to make Naloxone available over the counter at pharmacies in the future, no prescription needed.

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