The Saskatchewan Government is expanding it’s Take Home Naloxone(THN) kits and training program further into Lloydminster.
On Wednesday the province announced that they will be allowing community based organizations in Lloydminster, as well as other communities, to give out the opioid overdose prevention kits without going through a doctor or pharmacist. The Government also unscheduled naloxone as a Schedule II drug, which previously only allowed kits to be given out by pharmacists.
HIV Strategy Coordinator Merle Nightingale is overseeing the expansion of the program in Lloydminster, and says having more naloxone resources could save lives in an opioid emergency.
“We want to make sure that naloxone is available where needed. Up to now, it’s been available at Alberta pharmacies, but we want to make sure it’s more available for both sides of the border.”
As of Wednesday, the kits are available through a community mental health nurse at the Lloydminster Community Health Services Building and also at the Prairie North Health Centre. Nightingale says that the THN will also provided to Lloydminster community organizations based on interest, as well as optional training programs.
“The training that they would get from the nurses would include a bit of information on how to recognize an overdose, a short video clip and practice giving the injection, like on an orange, so that the person who gets the kit would feel reasonably confident giving the injection if they need to. ”
People interested in finding out where to obtain a THN kit or looking for training information can also visit the Saskatchewan pharmacies’ website.