Island Health has issued a statement marking the 10th anniversary of British Columbia declaring a public health emergency due to deaths and injuries caused by unregulated drugs.
The regional health authority said more than 2,700 people have died in the Island Health region from unregulated drug poisoning since April 2016.
“These are not abstract numbers – each death represents a person who was loved and is deeply missed by family, friends, coworkers and entire communities,” reads a statement from Island Health.
The statement said the public health emergency is a complex challenge that defies a single solution and added the crisis is driven by an increasingly unpredictable and unregulated drug supply.
“This crisis is driven by an increasingly unpredictable and unregulated drug supply, alongside broader social and health challenges including trauma, mental illness, housing insecurity, and the ongoing impacts of colonization, poverty and systemic racism,” Island Health said. “This crisis cannot be solved by health care alone. Lives are still being lost and the crisis remains one of the greatest societal challenges we face.”
Amid the milestone, Island Health said efforts must continue to prevent deaths and reduce harm while strengthening long-term supports that help people stay well.
Island Health’s full statement is available on its website.
