Alberta doctors call for more drug-use sites to reduce strain on acute-care resources

A group of Edmonton physicians says the Alberta government'soverhaul of harm reduction supports for people who use drugs isneedlessly straining acute care resources as COVID-19 demands grow.

Members of the Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association's opioidpoisoning committee have penned a letter to PremierJason Kenney,Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other health and addictionsofficials.

It calls for emergency action to address the drug poisoningcrisis.

The association says communities do not have adequate resourcesto respond to spiking drug overdoses, so people whoface adversereactions are needing help from first responders, emergencydepartments and intensive care unitsmore often.

Under Kenney's leadership, the province has limited access to alife-saving opioid dependency program and superviseddrug-use sites.

The group is recommending two emergency actions: expanding accessto injectable opioid agonist treatment programs,and bolsteringsupervised consumption and overdose prevention services.

More than 145 people and 18 organizations from across Canada including the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, MomsStop the Harm andProtect Our Province Alberta have signed the letter in support.

"We know that Alberta's current approach to the drug poisoningcrisis unnecessarily strains acute care resources and isdirectlycontributing to an rising number of deaths," the letter says.

"In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the above emergencypolicy actions are life-saving not only for people who use drugs,but for all Albertans in need of intensive care."

New sites being considered

Eric Engler, press secretary to Mike Ellis, the associate minister for mental health and addictions, said in an email that funding for supervised consumption sites is "at its highest level in Alberta's history" and that supervised consumptionsites are still available in the province's major centres.

"New sites are being considered where there is a demonstrated need and community support," Engler wrote.

"For example, we're in conversations with Boyle Street Community Services about operating a supervised consumption service elsewhere in Edmonton where there is a need."

Elliott Tanti, senior manager of communications and engagement at Boyle Street Community Services, confirms his organization has been talking to the government aboutoverdose prevention sites, which don't require federal approval to operate.

"The plan is to put them in areas all across the city where we're seeing challenges, but alsobringing services to where people are at," he said.

Tanti said he has been given no timelines for when these sites will be set up. Engler, in his response to CBC News, did not provide an answer to that question.