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BOSTON – Opioid-related overdose deaths continue to decline in Massachusetts, but in Worcester, they jumped 21%, from 80 in 2017 to 97 in 2018, according to figures recently released by the US Department of Public Health. l & # 39; State.
At the state level, figures have dropped by about 4% between 2016 and 2018.
Worcester was one of 10 municipalities identified by the state as experiencing a significant increase in fatal opioid-related overdoses among its residents, occurring within its boundaries, or both.
The other municipalities in this group are Barnstable, Chicopee, Framingham, Gardner, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Marlboro and Springfield. The state has defined a noticeable increase as an absolute difference of at least 10 opioid-related fatal overdoses between 2017 and 2018 and at least 20% over this period.
Dr. Matilde Castiel, Worcester's commissioner for health and social services, said the numbers urged them to continue working to reduce fatal overdoses.
"I'm the numbers, and for me, how can I continue to talk about it, what else do I have to do, how do I continue to work on it?" Said Dr. Castiel on Wednesday.
The statistics were published in the latest quarterly report on opioid overdose deaths published by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. For the first three months of 2019, preliminary data indicate that 497 fatal overdoses related to opioids have been confirmed and estimated throughout the state.
According to the DPH, 2,033 opioid-related overdose deaths were confirmed and estimated in 2018, 17 fewer than the 2,050 confirmed overdose deaths estimated to be related to opioids in 2017, and 67 fewer than 2,100 confirmed deaths in Canada. 2016.
"The progress we are making is also the result of our ongoing focus on the use of data to guide our program and policy decision-making," said the Secretary of State for Health and Human Resources. Social Services, Marylou Sudders. "We continue to focus on multiple strategies whose effectiveness has been proven."
The state has indicated that the decrease in opioid-related fatal overdoses has occurred despite "the persistent presence of synthetic fentanyl, a deadly opioid."
Fentanyl was present in the toxicology of 89% of those who died from opioid-related overdose and had been the subject of toxicological screening, the state report said. .
The presence of stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines has also been increasing since 2017 in opioid-related deaths, while the presence of heroin or heroin suspicion in opioid-related overdose deaths is decreasing since 2014, according to the DPH.
The percentage of opioid-related overdose deaths in which prescription drugs were present has trended downward between 2014 and 2016 and has remained stable since then, according to the state. In the fourth quarter of 2018, about 13% of opioid-related overdose deaths had present opioids in toxicology, the state said.
"While we remain encouraged by the fact that opioid-related overdose deaths have decreased over the past two years, the epidemic continues to pose very real problems throughout Massachusetts, exacerbated by the presence of fentanyl. of cocaine and amphetamines, "said Gov. Charles D Baker Jr." We look forward to working with our colleagues in the Legislature to provide the $ 266 million that we have proposed in our budget for support prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery services, as well as $ 5 million for a new regional task to ban Fentanyl Obliger. "
Dr. Castiel has listed a number of initiatives taken by the city to combat the opioid epidemic and that generally address three areas: awareness, education and treatment.
She added that the city had made many efforts to connect addicts or people at risk of addiction, for example by including an addiction specialist from the city's Quality of Life team while traveling to the city. camps for the homeless; institute a needle exchange; educate the homeless who gather at the Worcester Public Library; and work with women victims of trafficking and drug abuse.
On the education front, the city has formed police and fire departments to use naloxone, an antidote to opioids, and trained all city workers to addiction . Schools include programs on addiction prevention and mental health care.
Finally, with regard to treatment, measures have been taken to encourage physicians to treat suboxone patients, and drug-using prisoners now receive suboxone treatment during incarceration and naloxone upon release. declared Dr. Castiel.
"I am proud of what we have done, I know that our numbers do not show what we are doing, but I think it will turn out and we will do better," said Dr. Castiel.
However, she acknowledged "there is still work to be done.
"When I look at some of the things we need to do to change that, I think we need to look at comprehensive services," said Dr. Castiel, pointing out that addiction can often result from underlying mental health problems, stress a lack of housing or income, and more.
She also stressed the need for increased support from the community for drug addicts, asserting that she is still stigmatized.
"One of the things I'd like to love – it's getting better – but I'd like to have more commitment from the community," said Dr. Castiel.
She said that this support could come not only in treatment, but also in the context of hiring or leasing to people suffering from addiction.
Most importantly, Dr. Castiel said that no one was giving up.
"Our goal must be to continue to move forward, to put more things in place and to continue to defend our interests," she said.
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