Last week the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital saw the addition of the new Care and Connection Kiosk. The kiosks, provided by the Vancouver Island Health Authority, will allow anyone to access free life-saving harm-reduction supplies. It will also provide information on mental health and substance use support, services and treatments. Both North Island Hospital’s Campbell River campus and Victoria’s General Hospital also received the kiosks.

Island Health states in a press release, that “the Care and Connection Kiosks will, electronically dispense discretely packaged harm reduction items, including condoms, wound care supplies, naloxone kits, take-home drug testing strips, as well as syringes and safe disposal containers.”

This can be used as an alternative for people who currently visit emergency rooms for harm reduction and wound care supplies.

As of the end of August this year, 84 people have died from the toxic drug supply in Nanaimo. This is an increase from last year, when 77 people died. Harm reduction is one way to prevent the loss of more lives.

Today we speak with Dr. Shannon Waters from Island Health, physician and medical health officer for the Cowichan Valley Regional District as well as Nanaimo, Parksville and Oceanside. We will discuss the new kiosks and why Island Health has introduced them.

Then we speak with registered nurse and professor at Vancouver Island University, Sarah Lovegrove, about her past work in harm reduction. She speaks to the importance of allowing people to access proper harm reduction services and the efforts to end stigma around use.

Finally, we speak with Janelle Wilson, Organizer at Vancouver Island University’s Students’ Union. The student union is hosting a free naloxone training for students at VIU this November 7th.

Find Show Notes and Transcripts here.

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Guests:

Dr. Shannon Waters — Physician and Medical Health Officer for the Central Island.

Sarah Lovegrove — Registered Nurse and Professor at VIU.

Janelle Wilson — Organizer at VIUSU.