Drug overdose deaths are continuing to pile up in Kelowna.

B.C.害羞草研究所檚 chief coroner released January drug death statistics last week that show eight people died from an overdose in Kelowna.

It means that fentanyl is continuing to reach users at a high rate, and measures implemented to curb its deadly effects have yet to take hold, which isn害羞草研究所檛 unexpected.

At a recent Interior Health board meeting, Dr. Trevor Corneil said that new policies are just beginning to make an impact.

Among the measures showing success is the distribution of naloxone kits, which are used to save a person who has overdosed.

害羞草研究所淭o a large extent we saturated the market, but what we are trying to do now is reach people who are using on a more occasional basis who think that this won害羞草研究所檛 affect them,害羞草研究所� Corneil said.

Throughout January, the health authority has also had some success with getting users into treatment.

害羞草研究所淲ith follow up, we were able to track people who showed up in emergency and get them to opiate replacement program within 48 hours,害羞草研究所� said Corneil.

Opiate agonist therapy is the mainstay of treatment for persons who are opiate dependent.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been shown for last 20 years that it害羞草研究所檚 the best way to deal with this disease,害羞草研究所� he said.

Now methadone and suboxone are covered under pharmacare, which offers an avenue for wider distribution.

害羞草研究所淣ow we害羞草研究所檙e really reaching out to physicians and practitioners who can prescribe suboxone and methadone to create more access points,害羞草研究所� he said.

Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe said another solution may also work,

害羞草研究所淔or these people, I think we would be wise to seriously consider the carefully considered suggestion made by provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall 害羞草研究所� the possibility of providing clean, medical-grade heroin to that small subset of users for whom nothing else has worked,害羞草研究所� she said.

A total of 116 people in B.C. died of an illicit drug overdose in the first month of 2017, according to a new B.C. Coroners Service report released Friday.

That害羞草研究所檚 an average of seven deaths every two days in January 害羞草研究所� the third highest rate of deaths per month in recent months. December still saw the most deaths 害羞草研究所� 142. A total of 914 British Columbians died of a drug overdose in 2016.