Northern Health says resources, reduced stigma needed to combat toxic drug crisis

Northern Health has had the highest per capita rate of overdose deaths among all the health authorities in BC since 2020.

That’s from medical health officer Dr. Jong Kim who spoke on the nine-year anniversary of BC’s toxic drug crisis.

Kim told Vista Radio the public health crisis has rocked the Indigenous population as they are four to five times more likely to die of a drug overdose than non-indigenous residents – more resources to assist that demographic are needed.

“Some of that planning and work includes culturally safe and a more supportive approach in connecting Indigenous communities and clients with the ones who are there.”

He added more resources are needed such as treatment beds and drug checking services to turn this health matter around.

“It is a complex kind of a crisis that requires a comprehensive type of response. In each area of that continuum of care we do some additional capacity.”

“I think another key is that as a community the stigma unfortunately plays a significant part on how the people have barriers to access the care and support they need and it up to us as a community to address it.”

Kim stated over 1,000 people have passed away in the north from a toxic drug overdose since the public health emergency was first declared in 2016.

“Unregulated drug death has unfortunately been all across Northern BC from the northwest all the way to the northeast – we have seen the death relate to the toxicity of the drug and Prince George is showing a rate of one of the most impacted communities.”

PG tallied 110 illicit drug fatalities in 2024, surpassing the previous record high of 92 the year prior.

Earlier this year, newly-hired BC Chief Coroner Dr. Jatinder Baidwan told Vista Radio during a January interview hinted at taking a new data-based approach, which will better inform policy makers in their future decisions to help prevent deaths going forward.

Dr. Baidwan also echoed the troubling trend that is most prevalent in the Prince George area.

“It’s tragic and we don’t seem to be making a dent in the numbers. Further to the numbers you know about there are more women that are dying in that area than any other area as a proportion.”

“I don’t think it has crept up suddenly. I think there has always been that slightly greater number in the Northern Interior region. Do I know the answer to the questions you are asking? No. But these are the questions the policy makers in health need to delve into. There is a huge amount of data that they have in health that they can look at. We only look at the death data and there is a lot of data where people don’t succumb to potential overdoses.”

In addition, female death rates are also highest in the north at 45 per 100,000. The rate of female drug deaths is 50% higher than it was in 2020.

The number of unregulated drug deaths in BC in 2024 was 2,253, a 13% year-over-year decline (2,578).

Unregulated drug toxicity remains the leading cause of unnatural death for people in British Columbia aged 10 to 59 and accounts for more deaths than homicides, suicides, accidents and natural disease combined.

Paramedics in Prince George saw a minimal decline in their overdose call volume in 2024.

According to BC Emergency Health Services, local medics took in 1,758 drug poisoning/overdose calls last year, down slightly from 2023 where the tally was 1,833.

Despite the drop, Prince George still had the fifth highest overdose call volume among communities in British Columbia.

The northern capital trailed Vancouver (9,564), Surrey (3,335), Victoria (2,381) and Kelowna (2,032).

Here is the yearly breakdown in PG over the last nine years.

2016 – 362

2017 – 461

2018 – 594

2019 – 626

2020 – 999

2021 – 1,307

2022 – 1,466

2023 – 1,833

2024 – 1,758