National

B.C. government launches phone line to provide same-day access to opioid treatment

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 28 Aug, 2024 11:14 AM

The British Columbia government is expanding access to drug-addiction treatment by launching a confidential and free phone line offering same-day connections to doctors and health-care professionals.

The Opioid Treatment Access Line can connect people in need with a team of doctors and nurses who are available seven-days-a-week to prescribe life-saving opioid agonist medications.

Mental Health and Addictions Minister Jennifer Whiteside says when people dealing with opioid addiction reach out for help, they need access to treatment immediately, making services such as the new phone line vital in helping those in need recover in a timely manner.

People in BC can now call a free phone line to talk to a doctor or nurse who can prescribe meds to treat opioid addiction. Call 1-833-804-8111, 7 days a week. Removing barriers for people who need help is part of actions we’re taking to save lives. https://t.co/mwm8xqGaJW pic.twitter.com/niYOnbxMek
— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) August 27, 2024

Opioid agonist treatment reduces the risk of overdose in drug users by using medications such as suboxone, methadone and slow-release oral morphine — prescribed by a trained doctor or nurse — to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

The province estimates there are at least 125,000 people living with opioid-use disorder in the province, with men working in the trades "overrepresented" in the total number of overdose deaths according to a BC Coroner's report from 2022.

Vicky Waldron, executive director of the Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan, says in a government statement that it can be tough for people in the construction industry to ask for help and the new phone line may remove barriers that prevent workers from getting the care they need.

The service's cost will be covered under BC PharmaCare, and the phone line will operate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. moves to prevent offender name changes after child killer legally gets new name

Offenders in British Columbia convicted of serious Criminal Code offences will no longer be permitted to legally change their names under legislation introduced today. Health Minister Adrian Dix says the proposed law would amend the province's Name Act to ensure people convicted of dangerous offences can't change their name.

B.C. moves to prevent offender name changes after child killer legally gets new name

Light rain expected to help Fort McMurray wildfire as Grande Prairie blaze to grow

The fire near the oilsands hub, northeast of Edmonton, had grown to about 65 square kilometres. Officials said that's because they have a more accurate estimate not because flames are spreading. The fire remained about 16 kilometres from the city of 68,000 people. A fire there in 2016 destroyed roughly 2,400 homes.

Light rain expected to help Fort McMurray wildfire as Grande Prairie blaze to grow

B.C., Ottawa put up nearly $254M to expand heat pump rebates

The B.C. and federal governments have set aside nearly $254 million to expand rebates to convert home heating and cooling systems to more climate-friendly options with a focus on low- and middle-income households. A joint statement from Environment Canada and B.C.'s Energy Ministry says Ottawa is providing up to $103.7 million while the province is adding up to $151 million to increase the number of households eligible for upgrades.

B.C., Ottawa put up nearly $254M to expand heat pump rebates

Petition to recall Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek fails after falling far short of target

The petition effort to recall Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek has officially failed. The city clerk says the petition collected fewer than 70,000 signatures, well short of the 514,000 needed under provincial law for the recall to kick in.

Petition to recall Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek fails after falling far short of target

1 dead in Surrey house fire

RCMP in Surrey, B.C., say its officers are helping the fire department investigate a blaze in a home where a man's body was found on Sunday. Police say when officers arrived at the scene the occupants of the home had escaped, except for the man who lived in a secondary suite. The identification of the man who died hasn't been confirmed.

1 dead in Surrey house fire

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly plans trip to Middle East, Mediterranean

Canada’s foreign affairs minister is embarking on a five-day trip to the Middle East and the Mediterranean where she will focus on peacekeeping and aid. Global Affairs Canada says Mélanie Joly is set to leave today and will visit Cyprus, Lebanon, Turkiye and Greece where she will meet with her counterparts and other government officials.