Nasal Naloxone Team Going Strong

4934! That’s how many nasal naloxone kits…

the GSS project team has handed out in the community since the pilot project began in June. The goal is to gather feedback on this non-injectable form of naloxone for use in responding to opioid poisonings. In August when the project ends, the hope of the team is that Albertans will have barrier-free access to Nasal Naloxone  Kits across the province.

Naloxone in injectable form was approved for use in Canada over 40 years ago. The newer nasal alternative, though, can be sprayed directly into the nostrils. The needle-free format makes the product easier to use in home or community settings which can be particularly helpful for Alberta’s most vulnerable population—for example in extreme cold conditions that can make managing the injectable product even more challenging.

The Nasal Naloxone pilot project began in June and will be complete in August, 2022. Dom Dasti began as a Social Worker with the project and recently moved into the Project Manager role. Their team includes a Nurse Educator, a part-time Harm Reduction Worker, and a part-time Navigator.

The team has a strong base to build on. Providing training for service agencies on opioid poisoning, administering nasal naloxone, and the pilot project, have resulted in partnerships with 23 agencies. Holding nasal naloxone booths in the community was another awareness raising win. At the first, located outside the Bissell Centre, over 45 kits were distributed in under two hours. The event was so successful, the team plans to hold community booths twice a month.

Dom is clear on the Nasal Naloxone team’s priority as the new year begins: “do more outreach every single day so we’ll be seeing people where they are at and getting them to fill out the survey.” That personal outreach, Dom says, is the best way to raise awareness, get the kits into people’s hands, and then get feedback on people’s experiences with the kits. With over 4000 kits already distributed and 23 partner agencies in place, this team seems all set to exceed project expectations and, ideally, help get nasal naloxone kits publicly funded for Albertans.