Hamilton’s Opioid Crisis Still Rages but There is Cause for Hope

The opioid crisis has taken its toll on communities across Canada and while it still rages, statistics made available through the City of Hamilton show there’s some hope.

The opioid crisis has taken its toll on communities across Canada and while it still rages, statistics made available through the City of Hamilton show there’s some hope.

Hamilton Paramedic Services reports that they have responded to 474 opioid-related incidents so far this year.

The peak of incidents seems to have taken place earlier this year in May with paramedics responding to 84 incidents — the highest on record since the city started tracking back in 2017.

Hamilton paramedics responded to 20 opioid-related incidents in September, the latest numbers show, which is a steep drop from May.

Preliminary data from the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario is reporting 18 confirmed deaths for January to March 2019 in Hamilton; with an additional 19 probable deaths still under investigation, according to information provided by Michelle Baird, director, Epidemiology, Wellness, Communicable Disease Control, Public Health Services. In 2018, the death toll was 123.

While numbers were high this year in terms of reported opioid incidents, the availability of naloxone kits across the city has helped save more lives than in 2018.

This year alone 12,151 naloxone doses were distributed by Public Health and the Naloxone Expansion Sites, reviving 1,642 lives, the city’s website reports. In 2018, 6,412 naloxone doses were distributed by Public Health Services and just 568 people were revived. In one year, the number of lives saved has almost tripled.

The statistics for 2019 so far show that men are disproportionately represented as they are the victims in 74 per cent of the suspected cases. The average age of those affected is 36.

This crisis takes a toll on first responders who see firsthand the effects of this crisis on our population.

“Quite often, these patients are unconscious, not breathing and paramedics have to manage many things, as well as scenes that are often very chaotic,” said David Thompson, Advanced Care Paramedic and Superintendent, Education, Program Development and Media Relations, for Hamilton Paramedic Services.

“Many scenes present physical dangers to paramedics as there is often needles, drugs and they operate in very tight and dark spaces in which they must act quickly and safely, protecting themselves, the patient and others on these scenes.”

Between March 2019 and June 2019, Hamilton hospitals saw a decrease in opioid poisoning emergency department visits compared to previous months. So far in 2019, on average, there were 88 emergency department visits and 11 hospitalizations per month, according to the city’s website.

For more information on opioids and resources for support, education and counselling, visit the City of Hamilton website.

Provincial statistics about opioids and information on support and services can be found here.