Sask. Party, NDP overdose and addiction plans missing harm reduction measures, say experts, workers

Public health experts and front-line workers are calling on Saskatchewan's next government to take urgent action to expand harm reduction and prevent drug overdose deaths, which have declined but still amount to one death every day in the province on average.

Between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30 this year, 155 people died of confirmed drug overdoses and an additional 128 deaths were suspected overdoses, according to a recent report from the Saskatchewan Coroners Service.

That's roughly a 23 per cent decline from a comparable period last year, when the province recorded 369 drug-related deaths — 150 confirmed and 219 suspected — between Jan. 1 and Oct. 11.

However, the province is on track to record more deaths this year than in 2020, when they rose drastically amid pandemic disruptions.

"It's good to hear that they're down from last year," said Emile Gariepy, the harm reduction manager at Newo Yotina Friendship Centre, which runs Regina's first overdose prevention site.

"But it's still quite a drastic number."

In the lead-up to the Oct. 28 provincial election, both the Saskatchewan Party and the Saskatchewan NDP have pledged in their campaign platforms to address mental health and addictions, if elected.

The Saskatchewan Party says it would continue working to open 500 new addiction treatment beds, 213 of which it says have already been announced or opened under its government.

The NDP's platform promises to increase access to addictions supports like counselling and early intervention services, and also enrol more people in the rapid access counselling program "so people can get the support they need."

But neither platform includes the words "overdose," "harm reduction," or "opioid," a troubling detail for Barb Fornssler, an assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan's school of public health.

"Limiting our responses to a sort of treatment-only approach is concerning," Fornssler told CBC in an interview Thursday.

"What we really need in this province to see a significant change is going to be a fully funded continuum of care, which would include harm reduction, prevention, treatment and early intervention opportunities in the community."

Fornssler and Gariepy both say the next government should reverse cuts to harm reduction funding and limits on free needle supplies introduced by the Sask. Party earlier this year, which they and other experts say will increase the rate of HIV and other blood-borne diseases among people who use drugs.

"I'm really happy that they did add more beds, and it makes it easier for people to get into a treatment centre," said Gariepy, who is also the friendship centre's primary care paramedic.