Take-home naloxone (THN) kits are now available at a health region in northern Saskatchewan.
The Keewatin Yatthé Regional Health Authority is the ninth health region in the province to offer the life-saving kits free of charge.
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Byrne Richards, the region’s director of addictions and mental health, said having the kits available could possibly prevent overdose deaths.
“People who have identified as being at-risk will be able to access the kits, free of charge, following the completion of a course on recognizing, preventing, and responding to an overdose,” Richards said in a release.
“They will also be taught how to administer naloxone using THN kits.”
Richards added that family members and friends can take part in the training.
The take-home kits were first brought to Saskatchewan in 2015 in response to a growing opioid crises.
Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, can restore breathing to a person experiencing an overdose if administered properly.
There were 36 fentanyl-related deaths in the province between 2014 and 2016.
Health region officials said the kit doesn’t replace the need for immediate medical treatment in the event of an overdose.