New mobile harm reduction van and vending machines for the northeast
People in Prince Albert without transportation and means to access healthcare services can now attend to their health at a mobile harm reduction van, according to the Ministry of Health.
“It’s critical to connect with vulnerable clients who may not otherwise access mainstream healthcare services,” said Everett Hindley, minister for mental health and addictions, in a news release.
This is the fifth harm reduction van in the province. The Ministry of Health operates vans in Prince Albert, North Battleford, Yorkton, Saskatoon and Regina.
The harm reduction van will be open to serve clients five mornings a week, says the ministry. Besides providing healthcare and education, it will distribute clean needles, safer sex supplies and the overdose prevention medication Naloxone to clients.
The ministry says there’s evidence that harm reduction programs minimize the harmful effects of addictions and help reduce the transmission of sexually-transmitted and blood-borne infections, such as HIV and Hepatitis C.
The vans also accept used needles and aim to reduce the number of discarded needles on the streets.
The vans are staffed with healthcare workers who address the unique needs of each client, says Hindley.
“This creates greater opportunity for those struggling with addictions to engage on a path to recovery and treatment,” he said.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority says harm reduction vending machines for the northeast region of the province are at various stages of consultation and implementation in the communities of Prince Albert, Melfort, Tisdale, Nipawin, Rosthern and Wakaw.
Plans are to install the machines in neighborhoods where they are accessible to those who need them so clean medical supplies are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Clients only receive access to these machines through a one-on-one consultation with a qualified SHA clinician or provider, said the Saskatchewan Health Authority in a statement to CTV News.
There are also plans to implement three new community wellness buses to travel to communities in south, central and northern regions says the Ministry of Health.
The government did not provide a timeline on when community wellnesses buses would be ready for clients.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Affordability crisis could be reaching its peak in Canada, economist says
With Canada's annual inflation rate reaching the central bank's two per cent target, the country's affordability crisis could be peaking, according to an economist.
Record-breaking Lotto Max jackpot tickets sold in Ontario, Quebec
Two lucky people in Ontario and Quebec will split Tuesday’s record-breaking $80-million Lotto Max jackpot.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, goes back to work days after cancer treatment update
Catherine, Princess of Wales has held her first engagement since revealing that she has completed her chemotherapy treatment.
Ukrainian drones strike a large military depot in a Russian town northwest of Moscow
Ukrainian drones struck a large military depot in a town deep inside Russia overnight, causing a huge blaze and prompting the evacuation of some local residents, a Ukrainian official and Russian news reports said Wednesday.
How to prevent lung cancer, regardless of whether you smoke, according to a doctor
More people who have never touched a cigarette are getting lung cancer, but there are ways to prevent it, according to a doctor.
Bride's family speaks as West Vancouver woman sentenced for driving SUV into wedding party
Sixty-five-year-old Hong Xu, who drove her SUV into a crowd of people celebrating a wedding at her next-door neighbour's house in West Vancouver on Aug. 20, 2022, has been sentenced under the Motor Vehicle Act for driving without due care and attention.
This airport landing is so challenging only 50 pilots are qualified to do it
Bhutan's Paro International Airport (PBH) is widely considered one of the most technically difficult plane landings in the world. Maneuvering onto a short runway between two 18,000-foot peaks requires both technical knowledge and nerves of steel.
Exploding Hezbollah pagers in apparent Israeli attack made by Hungarian company, Taiwanese firm says
A company based in Hungary was responsible for manufacturing the pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria in an apparent Israeli operation targeting Hezbollah’s communications network, another firm whose brand was used on the devices said Wednesday.
'It's ridiculous': Ontario man told to pay $1,000 to end water heater contract
An Ontario man was surprised to learn he would have to pay a $1,000 penalty to cancel his water heater rental. 'I was shocked that the penalty I had to pay was almost the cost of a brand new water heater,' James Alves, of Etobicoke, told CTV News Toronto.