Saskatoon paramedics report they administered Narcan 744 times to patients in 2023, which they describe as another record year.
That was an increase of 109 administrations from 2022, and is 612 higher than it was 2019, the last full year before the pandemic.
“Since the pandemic we continue to see a steady rise in the amount of patients who require Narcan,” said Troy Davies, director of public affairs for Medavie Health Services West. “Mental health and addictions (are) the number one issue in cities across Canada and as one of the fastest growing cities in the country this is something we will continue to deal with.”
Paramedics state that this number could have been much higher if not for the easy access of Narcan kits which are available to residents. Medavie Health Services West runs a Narcan Exchange Kit Program and have Community Paramedics.
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The release said the Saskatchewan Health Authority runs an overdose outreach program and have trained thousands of people how to administer Narcan.
Saskatoon paramedics said on several occasions each month, they are responding to calls for patients who have overdosed and already received Narcan from a friend or spouse prior to their arrival.
Global News reached out to the Ministry of Health for comment and received a statement.
The province pointed to its action plan for mental health and addictions, saying that it was doubling the amount of addictions treatment centres in Saskatchewan over the next five years.
“Naloxone is provided for free through the Take Home Naloxone program. Since it was introduced in 2015, over 40,000 people have been trained to use naloxone and nearly 10,000 overdoses have been reversed by members of the public using naloxone provided by this program. Take Home Naloxone kits are available free of charge at over 400 locations across Saskatchewan, with more locations being added,” the ministry said.
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