Saskatchewan’s new Rural and Remote Health Minister will be tasked with a burgeoning issue further exasperated by COVID-19.
Everett Hindley will also oversee Mental Health and Addictions.
“What’s happening with COVID-19, and the pandemic and what that has done to people’s everyday lives. It’s affected all of us some more than others,” Hindley said.
The province has already shattered its drug overdose death record from a year-ago.
Statistics issued by the Saskatchewan Coroner’s Service there are 174 suspected drug toxicity deaths from January 1 to October 26, with 122 confirmed.
In 2019, the province recorded 147 deaths. Overdose deaths are occurring all over the province, yet Regina is the hardest hit with 58 confirmed.
Two northern communities and six First Nations have experienced these deaths this year. Buffalo Narrows and Ile a la Crosse each reported a sing death. The First Nations of Little Black Bear, Mosquito, Sweetgrass and White Bear, all had one confirmed drug overdose in 2020. The George Gordon and Pasqua First Nation reported two deaths.
Specifically naming Hindley’s portfolio to include mental health and addictions, signals to Hindley that the government takes this seriously, but that it is also an area mentioned by voters.
“Where does a person turn to when they need those services, and they need them immediately? Not a week from now, not a couple of weeks from now. But they need that immediately. I look forward to talking to the folks in my community, but and other communities around the province to see where are we,” Hindley stated.
“The First Nations communities around the province in northern Saskatchewan where there’s other more significant challenges. This is something that’s all part of some of the new challenges we’ve not necessarily new, but perhaps, enhanced challenges as a result of, of the pandemic. We’ve got to look at it very closely and make sure that we’re providing as much support as we possibly can.”
The magnitude of Tristen Durocher’s 44-day fast and occupation of the west lawn of the Legislature to raise awareness to suicide prevention in the North, forced the province to defend its recently announced strategy Pillars for Life, which has been deemed inadequate in combating suicide.
But Hindley said there is lots to do on that front.
“The Pillars For Life model that we’ve launched earlier this year. That’s a guideline, it’s a framework, but we’ve got a lot of work to do. The end goal is to make sure that we improve services and access to services to mental health and addictions for all people across Saskatchewan,” said Hindley.
(Photo: Everett Hindley. Facebook.)