Campbell River’s mayor says it was inevitable after drug supplies were found at a hospital kiosk in Nanaimo.
According to Premier David Eby, a vending machine was dispensing drug supplies such as Narcan, naloxone, and clean pipes at the Nanaimo General Hospital earlier this week. Eby says he’s ordered an investigation into the incident.
Mayor Kermit Dahl says it is inevitable to find drug supplies getting dropped in places like the vending machine.
“When you put all the paraphernalia that the people using the drugs need in a kiosk right at your emergency door, it’s inevitable that it’s going to get dropped there,” said Dahl.
He says he’s heard negative feedback from hospital employees about the kiosk located in Campbell River, with the big concern being the encouragement of using illicit drugs at, in, and around the hospital.
Both the kiosks in Campbell River and Nanaimo were installed alongside one in Victoria by Island Health in October last year. The goal is to dispense harm reduction items like condoms, wound care supplies, and syringes.
In a statement responding to the situation, Island Health says more than 1,100 harm reduction and disease prevention supplies were dispensed from the kiosks since being installed.
“Each kiosk is maintained and restocked as needed by a peer support or addiction and recovery worker, visible and on site full-time,” said Island Health.
They say the kiosks are meant to be accessible for those who don’t get off work until the night, or for those looking for more anonymity.
Island Health also says the kiosks aim to address gaps in service for people who may not want to be associated with these services because of either stigma or fear of repercussion.
They add they look forward to working with the government to review how the supplies are distributed.
