The Middlesex-London Health Unit and several of its partners will hold a news conference on Thursday, February 28th, 2019 to provide an update about the local response to the current opioid crisis. This update will include new data about opioid-related deaths that occurred in the second and third quarters of 2018 as well as highlights from the multi-tiered community response to this important issue.

The local strategy to respond to the opioid crisis has been built on the four pillars of prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement. Each of the partners that has collaborated in this response has been able to provide services and support that align with this model that has been shown to reduce the potentially deadly outcomes associated with addiction to opioid drugs. While the results so far are encouraging, much remains to be done.

What:

Update about the community response to the local opioid crisis

Speakers*:

- Ed Holder, Mayor, City of London
- Arielle Kayabaga, London Councillor, Ward 13
- Dr. Christopher Mackie, Medical Officer of Health and CEO, Middlesex-London Health Unit
- Sonja Burke, Director of Counterpoint Harm Reduction Services, Regional HIV / AIDS Connection
- Pam Hill, Addiction Services of Thames Valley

When:

Thursday, February 28th, 2019, 10:30 a.m.

Where:

Innovation Works
London Life Solutions Lab
201 King Street
London, ON

Media Contact:

Dan Flaherty, Communications Manager, Middlesex-London Health Unit,
519-663-5317 ext.2469 or 519-617-0570 (cell.)

*Additional speakers TBC