More beds not the answer to fentanyl crisis, says B.C.'s provincial health officer

The latest numbers on B.C.'s fentanyl crisis are in: at least 488 people have died so far this year from illicit drug overdoses, compared to a total of 505 in all of 2015.

That's nearly a 62 per cent increase in deaths compared to last year, although there have been fewer deaths each month since January.

Dr. Perry Kendall, B.C.'s most senior public health officer, told the CBC's The Early Edition he is cautiously optimistic about the new numbers.

"There's absolutely no room for complacency and we have to keep on pushing if we are to improve the services ... and bring those numbers down."

Kendall, who heads up B.C.'s opioid task force, said the crisis has highlighted a major gap in the province's health system.

Currently his task force is working on bringing together all the disparate parts of the health system to build up a continuous system of care for people with addictions, he said.

"Addictions is an area that has been under-resourced in North America for many years ... [but] we have a lot of feet on the ground for this."

Not a question of enough beds

One major problem parents of overdose victims have highlighted is a lack of treatment beds.

• 'It's like pulling teeth': No treatment bed for B.C. fentanyl addict who returned from the dead
• Are there enough beds for drug treatment in B.C.?
• What we learned phoning every drug rehab facility in British Columbia

Some people have even died while on the waiting list for treatment.

Although Kendall acknowledged there are many people waiting for treatment beds in the province, he said simply funding more beds is not enough.

"Focusing on beds is a natural thing for people to do ... but unless you have the community supports in place to follow that person through, the chances of relapse, particularly for opioid addiction, is anywhere from 60 to 80 per cent."

"Its going to take working together, investments, and unfortunately, a bit of time."

With files from The Early Edition

To hear the interview, click on the link labelled Dr. Perry Kendall on B.C.'s fentanyl crisis