NEEDLE EXCHANGE USAGE INCREASES

Chief Health Officer Believes Fewer Cases Of Hepatitis May Be
Result

SUMMERSIDE - An expansion of the Province's needle exchange program
has contributed, in part, to fewer cases of hepatitis C, health
officials say.

In addition to its Charlottetown location, the Province has expanded
the needle exchange program into three more areas since 2009 -
Summerside, Alberton and Montague.

Although numbers for 2011 will only be compiled in January, P.E.I.'s
chief health officer said early indications are encouraging.

"In 2011 to date, we've seen a bit of a decrease in the number of
cases of hepatitis C. That's due to many things, but we hope partly
due to the needle exchange program," said Dr. Heather Morrison.

"I looked at some of that initial data, and the number of client
visits per month have increased, as has the number of clean needles
given out. From all indications, there is a need across the province,
not just in one area." The goal of the exchange program is to reduce
the risk of transmission of HIV, and hepatitis B and C.

Most cases of hepatitis C diagnosed in the province are related to
intravenous drug use and sharing of injection needles.

AIDS P.E.I. ran the Island's first needle exchange out of its
Charlottetown office for five years, but ceased that operation in
March 2009 when the Province opted to start its own exchange.

A part-time needle exchange was opened later that year in Summerside's
Harbourside Medical Centre, followed in 2010 by an office at St.
Martha's House in Alberton.

In June of this year, a fourth location was added in
Montague.

Provincewide in 2010, the program saw an average of 60 to 80 visits
per month and between 15,000 and 20,000 clean needles handed out.

Morrison said numbers for individual centres couldn't be disclosed
because of privacy reasons. Since the program is anonymous, the figure
for average monthly visits includes both new and repeat clients.

Although the four centres are seeing an encouraging numbers, Morrison
said there is no immediate need to expand the needle exchange program
further.

"From my understanding from the Public Health nurses working at the
needle exchange clinics, it seems to be an appropriate amount of
coverage at this time. We'll always be looking at what hours work
best, and if we need more," she said. "A lot of this takes time, in
terms of education and word of mouth, but I haven't heard of people
having trouble accessing (the program)."

The Summerside program runs Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m.,
while the Alberton office is open Wednesday afternoons.