The North Bay-Parry Sound District Health Unit wants to get the message out that they are mandated by the Ministry of Health to have a needle exchange program and they do but they want to grow it too.

Program Manager Marnie Brunette says the program is designed to help prevent the transmission of infections like HIV and Hepatis C but also keep discarded needles off the street.

She says the program includes the exchange of new supplies and also returning used supplies to the health unit.

She says they want to grow.

To that end they’ve formed 2 working groups.

One is a short term working group that’s focused on service delivery.

Brunette says the long term working group is aimed at providing long term evaluation of the program.

She says they’re actively seeking new partners who are interested in becoming new needle exchange sites so they can ensure a needle exchange program is available throughout the district.

Filed under: AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area, needle exchange, North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit