MEDIA RELEASE:
Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit

Health Unit recognizes community partners on Overdose Awareness Day

International Overdose Awareness Day is an international initiative observed by many agencies each August 31^st. This year’s theme is Together We Can.

Over the last few years, the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit has seen a rise in overdoses and is working together with partners in LGL communities to change the direction of these numbers.

As of July 31, 2024, the number of confirmed and probable deaths from overdoses/drug poisonings is four and suspected deaths is fifteen, according to the Drug-Related Overdose & Death Summary - Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit on the Health Unit’s website. Over the last 5 years, these numbers have fluctuated and in 2023 they rose to 18 confirmed and probable deaths and 33 suspected deaths.

“These numbers are alarming,” says Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Linna Li. “Our hearts go out to the families and we are committed to continuing to work together with our partners in the Health Unit’s role in prevention, harm reduction and education to reduce these overdoses and deaths in our communities.”

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; shelters/Cooperative Care and John Howard Society; outreach programs; emergency departments; police; fire services; paramedics; mental health agencies; food banks; libraries; youth groups; and pharmacies. Working with partners to provide local services is critical to building community and individual capacity.

“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 helps to reduce the transmission of infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis C.”

Harm reduction seeks to minimize the risks associated with an activity without requiring people to stop using. It focuses on addressing the immediate risks by putting the person first and taking a nonjudgmental stance, recognizing both the benefits, harms, and other consequences of using these substances. Evidence indicates that harm reduction prevents overdoses and deaths, increases participation in addiction treatment, and is an important part of the spectrum of interventions that are effective in reducing substance use and harms, including overdoses.

The Health Unit staff work with local partners to provide Naloxone kits and training; consultation on policy and programs; help with obtaining harm reduction supplies and providing education for Smartworks sites; and assisting with obtaining Needle Drop Boxes in several locations throughout the area. The Health Unit also works with partners in preventing substance use, including community education and youth substance use prevention.

Initiating and supporting outreach with local community groups is another way the Health Unit works with partners by seeing clients one on one and providing education, referrals and help with other services that the Health Unit provides, including immunization, dental and tobacco cessation.

The Health Unit also supports the local International Overdose Awareness Day events in the community:

Kemptville - Thursday August 29th

o   (12) Memorial Gathering for loss of life due to Overdose An International Overdose Awareness Day Event | Facebook 

Brockville - Friday August 30th

o   Join us for International... - Brockville’s Overdose Outreach Team | Facebook

o   Dr. Linna Li, Medical Officer of Health for the Leeds Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit will attend and speak at the official ceremony.

For more information about harm reduction programs at the Health Unit, visit: Drug Use & Harm Reduction - Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit. You can also call 1-800-660-5853 or connect with @LGLHealthunit on social media.

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CAUTION – The water is not recommended for swimming at the Rideau Ferry Yacht Club beach. The latest bacterial tests of the water indicated unacceptable levels of bacteria. Testing is performed weekly by the Health Unit, for more information please visit their website https://healthunit.org/health-information/recreational-water/weekly-beach-results

Media Release:
Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
August 16, 2024

Rabies is a deadly disease that can be prevented. Help prevent the spread of rabies by vaccinating your furry companions who add so much to your lives.

Together with partner veterinarians, municipalities and local partners, the Health Unit is offering low-cost Rabies Vaccination Clinics throughout the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties. These Rabies Vaccination Clinics will be held on September 11. Not all area vets have the capacity to participate in the low cost clinics since the pandemic so some areas where clinics operated previously may still not have a clinic. To find the locations where clinics will be held, call 1-800-660-5853 or visit the Health Unit’s Low-Cost Rabies Vaccination Clinic page. Vaccinations are $25 cash only. Pets must be on a leash or in a carrier.

Clinics will be held on September 11 at the following times and locations:

• 1:00pm-5:00pm – Brockville Shopping Centre (Stingers) – 125 Stewart Boulevard
• 2:00pm-6:00pm – Ferguson Forest Center – County Road 44 Kemptville       
• 2:00pm-6:00pm – Merrickville Fire Hall – 317 Brock Street West
• 4:00pm-6:00pm – Augusta Township Public Works Garage – 5328 Algonquin Road
• 2:00pm-6:00pm – Ed Yandeau Operation Centre – 950 Sophia Street North, Prescott            
• 2:00pm-6:00pm – Blueberry Creek Veterinary Hospital – 50 Lanark Road (Hwy 511)
• 2:00pm-6:00pm – Carleton Place Veterinary Hospital – 120 Coleman Street Carleton Place
• 2:00pm-6:00pm – Lanark Veterinary Clinic – 88 D Cornelia Street West Smiths Falls
• 2:00pm-6:00pm – Perth Veterinary Clinic – 118 Christie Lake Road

“On behalf of the Health Unit, I would like to extend our gratitude to our municipalities and our local veterinary services for assisting and supporting the coordination of these clinics over the years,” said Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Linna Li.

The goal of hosting these clinics is to help provide rabies vaccinations to as many cats and dogs as possible. It is important that pet cats or dogs remain up-to-date with their rabies vaccination as they could be at risk of getting rabies. By increasing the vaccination coverage in pets we will help to minimize the potential transmission of rabies to humans.

In addition, hunters preparing for the hunting season are reminded to get their dogs vaccinated against rabies. While running in the bush, hunting dogs have the potential of interacting with wild life that may have rabies. To help protect some wild animals against rabies, the Ministry of Natural Resources releases bait in certain areas in August.

You can protect yourself and your family from animal bites by staying away from unknown or wild animals. If you or any member of your family has been bitten, scratched or in contact with a potentially rabid animal, seek medical attention from your health care provider, or go to your local hospital emergency department immediately. The Health Unit follows up on all reports of bites. If you are the owner of a pet involved in a biting incident, regain control over your pet, provide assistance to the person bitten and provide your contact information to the person so the Health Unit can reach out to you to conduct a risk assessment. Be sure to keep a copy of your pet’s vaccination certificate.

For more information on rabies, visit: Rabies – Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit. For rabies or animal bites-related questions call 1-800-660-5853 or 613-345-5685. You can also connect with LGLHealthUnit on Facebook, X or Instagram @lglhealthunit.z for important public health updates.

Contact

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