Alberta’s opioid response commission term extended
By Gillian Slade on May 31, 2018.
Medicine Hat News The opioid response commission term has been extended for another 18 months, the province’s Ministry of Health has announced. Since the commission was created, thousands of new treatment spaces, established supervised consumption services and supported opioid awareness programs have been started. “The quarterly update shows there is still much more work to do to address the overdose crisis in Alberta,” said Dr. Elaine Hyshka, co-chair of the minister’s opioid emergency response commission. “Yet I’m encouraged by the actions taken and investments made this past year. This progress is in part due to the commitment and insights of commission members, including especially those with lived experience and those on the ground working to save lives. It has been an honour to lead the commission over the past 12 months and I thank Associate Minister Payne for accepting our recommendations, extending our term and continuing our work.” The most recent opioid surveillance report shows that the work of the commission needs to continue — 158 people died from apparent fentanyl poisoning in the first three months of 2018. In the last quarter of 2017, 183 people died from an apparent fentanyl overdose. The government has committed $63 million in the 2018 budget for actions to address the opioid crisis, representing an increase of $7 million over last year. 7-6
