Needle exchange program sees big increases on Island

The number of needles being handed out to intravenous drug users on P.E.I. by public health nurses has skyrocketed since 2010.

That year, the first full year of the needle exchange program, the province distributed 34,000 needles at its two sites in Charlottetown and Summerside.

Last yearthat number more than quadrupled, to 157,000 needles, and there are now seven sites across the province.

The main goal of the program is to stop the spread of viruses that cause HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.

It's a good news story because we are reaching a harder-to-reach population.- Kathy Jones, Director of Public Health

That makes the dramatic increase a good news story, according to Kathy Jones, the province's director of public health.

"It's a good news story because we are reaching a harder-to-reach population," said Jones.

"We are providing them with ways and means to keep themselves safe to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV. We are also providing them with a highly sensitive, confidential service to meet their other health care needs."

For many of the people that use the needle exchange program, it's their only access to the health system, according to public health.

They aimto decrease the harm to clients, then to their families and ultimately, the public.

The number of visits to needle exchange sites is also up since 2011, from about 700 to more than a thousand last year.

But Jones explained that doesn't necessarily mean the number of drug users is up on P.E.I.

She said because the program is anonymous, the same person could visit a number of times, making it difficult to track client numbers.