CITY DEBATES MERITS OF SAFE-INJECTION SITE

About 15 city workers were jabbed by used needles last year, and some
councillors suggested yesterday a safe-injection site might protect
staffers. But the city's infection-control officer later told the Sun
that of the 30 cases last year in which paramedics and firefighters
were exposed to another person's bodily fluids - 15 through needle
pricks - only two cases were deemed serious risk.

"In the course of the year, we only had two people who were given
drugs (to protect them against HIV)," said Margaret McKenzie. "I've
only had one other person in five years who had to take the drugs."

And a safe-injection site wouldn't reduce the risk to firefighters and
paramedics who are in danger because of their jobs, McKenzie added.
They're poked with needles while inserting intravenous lines during
bumpy ambulance rides or exposed to fluids such as blood or spit while
caring for an injured person, McKenzie explained.

"None of our needle pokes came from environmental needles, none from
strange needles in the community," she said.

"They're all related to the care we provide to our clients or
patients."

The council committee heard that, besides paramedics and firefighters,
a couple of community services and waste-management staffers were
accidentally stuck by needles in 2004.

City officials collected 497 needles from park areas, most of them
around homeless camps, said a report to councillors. And staff picked
up thousands of needles thrown out with garbage and recycling -
between 1,000 and 1,500 every two weeks, the report said.

The issue needs further study, said Ward 1 Coun. Linda Sloan, who
asked city administrators to compile statistics on the total number of
needle jabs over the past five years.

"I think all of this should be geared towards determining whether or
not, departmentally, we need to give support to a safe-injection site
within the city, because of the risk that it poses to our employees,"
Sloan said.

"I think there's a benefit to doing that."

Ward 6 Coun. Dave Thiele - who agreed a safe-injection site is worth
exploring - noted a "significant number" of needles are discarded in
the city beyond what staff are finding.

The Streetworks needle exchange hands out about 850,000 needles in a
year, noted Kate Gunn, co-ordinator of the safer cities
crime-prevention program.

About 90% of those needles are returned, and about 14,000 used needles
were collected in 10 drop boxes around the city over the past two years.

But Ward 5 Coun. Mike Nickel said outside yesterday's meeting
councillors shouldn't look to a safe-injection site for a quick fix.

"I'm going to fight this. I just think it's wrong," said Nickel, who
noted the city is banning people from smoking in bars "but we'll tell
them where to go to shoot up some heroin."