Sudbury paramedics feel the weight of the opioid epidemic

Paramedics on the front line of the opioid crisis Recent data has shown that opioids were involved in 74 per cent of all drug poisoning deaths in 2023 in the Sudbury area.

Public Health Sudbury and Districts has released its annual opioid surveillance data for Greater Sudbury and Manitoulin for this year so far.

The data found that opioids were involved in 74 per cent of all drug poisoning deaths in 2023.

While the findings are preliminary, fatal opioid-related overdoses have increased from January to April 2024 in comparison to the year before.

"There were 32 residents of Sudbury Manitoulin districts who had died from an opioid-related overdose," said Rachelle Roy, a Registered Nurse in mental health and addictions with the health unit.

"This represents a localized local annualized mortality rate of 44.2 deaths per 100,000 population per year, significantly higher than the rest of Ontario being 15.4."

While there could be many reasons for the increase due to the complexity of substance use, Roy said one factor is the toxicity of drugs in the community.

"When it comes to opioid-related poisonings and deaths, they happen in repeated patterns throughout the year," she said.

"One of the main contributing factors is really being that we have a very volatile and unpredictable toxic drug supply and we have very potent opioids that are in the supply, such as fentanyl.

"Most recently we found carfentanil in the supply and it's being cut into the supply, (a fact) that is unknown to people taking these drugs, that there might be a lethal dose in it."

Additionally, between January and July, there were 206 visits to emergency departments in Sudbury and Manitoulin for opioid overdoses, a slight decrease from 2023 when there were 219.

Melissa Roney, deputy chief of paramedics for Greater Sudbury Paramedic Services, said the opioid crisis has created unprecedented challenges for staff.

On the front lines

"We're really on the front lines of this crisis and often responding to multiple overdose calls in a single shift," Roney said.

Roney said there are times when a paramedic will see the same patient more than once in a shift.

"We'll bring a patient to the hospital. That patient leaves without being seen. And we're called again because they're in distress," she said.

"We've implemented support systems, mental health resources for sure. We have a peer support network. And, you know, we're really trying to aim to help our staff cope with the increased stress and the emotional toll that goes along with these calls."

Roney said a goal is to offer wraparound support. She said an application has been submitted for paramedics to administer suboxone to a patient to alleviate withdrawal symptoms while they get treatment.

She said it has proven successful in other communities.

"The goal … is to reduce the number of incidents, ultimately alleviating some of the strain on our paramedic team," Roney said.

"It would prevent that feeling of withdrawal and all those other symptoms that go on with that and could buy them some time to get some wraparound support from mental health and addictions."

Public Health said the Big Nickel will be lit up purple this week to mark International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31 to commemorate those who have lost their lives and the loved ones left behind.