Fentanyl-fighting naloxone kits credited with saving at least 5 Calgarians

The lives of at least five Calgarians have been saved since July due to a naloxone antidote program for fentanyl overdoses, says Calgary's top doctor.

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"We expect that there have been many more than five kits used in Calgary of the 371 we have given out, and many more than five lives saved is a win," said Dr. Nick Etches, the Alberta Health Services medical officer of health for Calgary.

Naloxone reverses overdoses by blocking receptors in the brain where fentanyl works and brings the person back to a state where they can breathe on their own, he said.

Fentanyl is a chemical used to treat pain but has recently become popular as a street drug because of its potency.

It's 100 times stronger than other opioids like heroin or oxycodone.

Calgary police said in the fall deaths in the province could reach 300 by the end of this year.

There have been 371 naloxone kits handed out since July in the Calgary region.

The kits are distributed by prescription and come with training on their use.

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Etches says the kits are part of a broader strategy with other partners including law enforcement, because fentanyl has become such a big problem.

"Obviously we can do more, we need to do more," Etches said.

"This issue with fentanyl isn't going away any time soon, we know that and to that end we are going to be expanding naloxone distribution at AHS in the near future."