Overdoses in our region continue to rise and the South East Health Unit says it’s working together with partners to change the direction of the numbers.
Health unit officials say that their drug-related overdose and death summary shows that there have been three confirmed and probable deaths from overdoses/drug poisonings and 13 suspected deaths in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark so far this year.
Over the last 5 years, they say these numbers have fluctuated and in 2024 they rose to 18 confirmed and probable deaths and 36 suspected deaths.
Public health works with a variety of local partners in a whole-of-society approach to prevent overdoses, including community health centres, addiction and treatment centres, police, fire services and paramedics.
“Harm reduction is essential in health care as it helps to decrease the number of deaths from overdose,” says David Amot, Mental Health and Substance Use Public Health Nurse Co-ordinator with the Health Unit. “Increased access to safer use supplies also helps to reduce the transmission of infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis C.”
This Sunday is International Overdose Awareness Day and ahead of it an Overdose Awareness Memorial Gathering is taking place in Kemptville on Wednesday night.
It’s scheduled for 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Rotary Park and Mental Health and Amot will be a part of it.
