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THE HSE AND a number of its partners will offer free training events today in the use of overdose-reversing treatment Naloxone, to mark International Overdose Awareness Day.
It comes against the backdrop of statistics which show that Ireland has the fourth-highest rate of deaths from overdose in Europe, with many of the deaths preventable.
Training in the use of Naloxone – which can be administered in an intranasal or injectable manner – will be offered today by the HSE in conjunction with partners such as Crosscare, the Ana Liffey Drug Project and Merchants Quay Ireland today in Dublin, Cork and Limerick.
“Every use of Naloxone is potentially a life saved,” Joseph Doyle, national planning specialist at the HSE’s national social inclusion office, said.
“The most likely people to witness an overdose are other people who use drugs… The more we educate in how to administer Naloxone, the more lives we save.”
The HSE’s Naloxone project has seen over 1,600 kits issued, with 600 people who use drugs and their family members, and another 800 community workers trained on how administer it.
Minister of State Catherine Byrne said that there has been over 100 reported uses of Naloxone over the past three years, which has potentially saved many lives.
In a statement, the Ana Liffey said that the latest figures for 2015 show that there were 348 overdose deaths that year, twice the number that died in road deaths.
Its CEO Tony Duffin said: “The effects are devastating – every overdose death is one family’s tragedy. We must do as much as we can to prevent these premature deaths. The way to do that is to increasingly provide accessible lifesaving interventions to people who use drugs.”
It called for Naloxone to be made freely without prescription, the opening of the pilot supervised injecting facility, and the decriminalisation of small amounts of drugs for personal use.
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A few articles below: Guards need to bring in more revenue from fines
This Article: Even more money to be spent stopping these fine folk from killing themselves so they can continue to harass and steal from those that are not paying enough fines!
Ireland
@Stephen Boland: yes, we should remember that when you are old, unproductive and in need of care.
@Peter Kelly: say again? Neither my comment or the article are referencing anyone old or in need of care. We’re talking about Heroin Peter, no need for the snarky comment
@Stephen Boland: you probably won’t be as cavalier if anyone you know or love ever ends up suffering from addiction. Sadly it takes something like that for people like you who lack empathy to understand.
@Ivan Connolly: it’s hard to have empathy if a junkie steals and threatens people with a syringe.
@Stephen Boland: The city centre shall be thriving like the Olympic village.
@Stephen Boland: Some horrible comments from a few people here including yours Stephen. My brother died due to a heroin overdose in circumstances which you don’t know, you think it’s easy seeing comments like this?? Think before you type guys…
Is there nothing to be said for the process of natural selection?
Oh goodie, another comment section where we get to hear from all the people that think we should just let people die because they made bad choices.
Can someone provide me with the human life “ranking” scale so I know where I land on it. I’ll make sure to never make the mistakes and bad choices that have caused others to become worthless and not “suitable” for help.
@Tricia G: 1. Everyone else – 99. Junkies 100. Paedophiles
We’re gonna be seeing a lot more athletes in town in the future.
Naloxone is looked upon as a curse in the USA by paramedics. As they seem to spend all their time on call outs, retrieving the same addicts, over and over again.
@Jerry Hurley: yes paramedics much prefer patients die. Reduces the workload.
@Ivan Connolly: let me know how you feel . when one of your parents are at the end of the stairs, after a stroke. But all the ambulances are busy looking after the same cohort of druggies for the umpteenth time.
@Jerry Hurley: so what are you suggesting? Let a person who is addicted to opiates, die, because they have overdosed? People don’t overdose on purpose (unless of course the person is using it as a way to try and kill themselves, in which case they don’t only need the help of paramedics but also the support of Councellors.. is that ok with you or are they too much of a waste of oxygen to even access the time of those and taking up an appointment that a “non-addict” could take)
@Lilly Passet-De Nais: leave them at the paramedics are constantly picking up the same people from overdosing on heroine and slowing down response times for genuine cases
What a waate of resources.
Hope the training includes conflict resolution for when they go batshit mental for recking their buzz..
@Shane Fearon: lol
@Shane Fearon: true. A very serious problem for the DFB and HSE ambulance staff. They can get very violent when they realise their “buzz” was taken
@Fiasco99: people are given this drug when they are dying. In some instances when they come round they can be aggressive which is a side effect but don’t let any of that get in the way of your caustic remarks.
@Ivan Connolly: as long as your there to give them a nice hug and a bit of there there cream everything will be fine. But yes attacking people is a terrible side effect, hopefully the drug companies can iron that one out *rolls eyes*
@Ivan Connolly: Nobody is saying not to do it. Just be prepared for the reality.
@Shane Fearon: .
And Shane there lies the problem , the aggression which occurs once the buzz has been taken away.
Regardless however every human has the right to be treated regardless of their addiction.
@Fiasco99 Doses may have to be repeatedly administered every few mins , so the notion that they’ll be dealing with a raging bull because they lost “their buzz” but held on to their lives is wrong. The reaction ,if it occurs is most likely similar to the not too common reaction of being induced out of anaesthesia,where in recovery wards the nurses run about the same risk.
@Milishusdamage: now come on don’t let facts get in the way of a nice bit of prejudiced ignorance. Sone people get a “buzz” from the suffering of others.
@Ivan Connolly: Indeed,and score regularly.
How about we train everyone up in the use off Epipens in the event of anaphylaxis.. and supply people with free epipens ???? Or train people up on the use of glucagon/glucogel for diabetic problems. And stop charging so much money for the medication for the serious problems out there… why do the drug addicts get everything for free??? Anyone have an answer???
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