ANDERSON – Madison County's needle exchange program to fight the spread of hepatitis C among drug users has been extended.
Stephanie Grimes said Wednesday, during the meeting of the Madison County Board of Health, that the Indiana State Department of Health approved the program for an additional year.
In August 2015, the needle exchange program saw five patients and distributed 1,200 syringes, Grimes said.
In September of this year, the program saw 58 patients and distributed 16,500 syringes, she said.
“It’s climbing every month,” Grimes said. “So far this month we have distributed 13,000 syringes. We’re seeing two and three new patients every week.”
The Madison County Health Department recently received an $11,400 grant to help purchase the syringes.
Grimes said the county can purchase 30,000 syringes for $5,000 and the grant money will help with the costs.
She said a new substance abuse center opened in Anderson and the Health Department is referring people there.
The Health Department received 200 doses of the life-saving naxolone, also known as brand name Narcan, from the state to help people suffering from a drug overdose.
“We need a policy developed on who should receive it,” she said.
Grimes said people on the street are indicating that heroin is coming into Madison County from the Cincinnati area and, in some cases, is being mixed with an elephant tranquilizer.
She said the number of hepatitis C cases in the county is increasing because more people are being tested.
“Acute hepatitis C is on the rise,” Grimes said. “There are pockets in Anderson and Elwood.”
In 2013, there were 70 hepatitis C cases in Madison County. The number climbed to 135 in 2014 and reached 211 in 2015.
The county is on point to exceed the number from 2015, said Rebecca Sanders of the Health Department.
Health Administrator Steve Ford said the Indiana University School of Medicine is changing its curriculum for pain management without the use of narcotics.
Dr. Steven Wright, county health officer, said all the doctors need to recommend pain management without the use of opiates.
“The best way to keep people from becoming addicted is to not get them started,” he said of narcotic pain medications.