2023-06-08 21:39:25
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene unveiled the city’s first public health vending machine, operated by Services for the Underserved (S:US), to promote 24/7 access days of the week, to life-saving harm reduction supplies conveniently and anonymously to achieve a goal outlined in the mental health plan.
In short, public health vending machines are a desperate strategy of the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, given the alarming numbers of overdose deaths, motivated by the high consumption of fentanyl, which is plaguing American society.
With this strategy, the local government intends to reduce stigma and reach New Yorkers who may not yet be connected to harm reduction services. Authorities reported that similar machines in the United States, Europe and Australia have shown success in reducing rates of overdose and infectious disease.
“We are in the midst of an overdose crisis in our city, which is taking a fellow New Yorker from us every three hours and is a leading cause of declining life expectancy in New York City,” said the commissioner of Cheers, Dr. Ashwin Vasan.
“But we will continue to fight to keep our neighbors and loved ones alive with care, compassion and action. Public health vending machines are an innovative way to meet people where they are and put life-saving tools like naloxone in their hands. We will leave no stone unturned until we reverse the trends of opioid-related deaths in our city,” she added.
One of the test machines was installed on Broadway in Brooklyn and will be overseen by the organization S:US, which will restock the device to include items that meet the needs of the local community.
The machine can be used by anyone who needs it by entering their zip code followed by the numerical code of the product. Instructions are in English and Spanish.
Overdose at historic levels
Overdose deaths in New York have reached historic levels. In 2021 there were 2,668 deaths from this cause, surpassing the 2,103 that were registered in 2020. 84% of these deaths were caused by the use of fentanyl.
2022 became the deadliest year in New York due to overdose. More than 3,700 people lost their lives due to this cause, triggering the alarms of the local authorities.
In response, the Care Community action plan promised to offer access plans to free naloxone, a drug that can prevent death from overdose if applied on time.
The United States government has accused other countries of fentanyl trafficking and has given lengthy explanations regarding the responsibility of others in this growing problem. However, they have not assumed their responsibility in controlling a society that is becoming increasingly dependent on the consumption of narcotics.
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