Dundee University Student’s Association (DUSA) staff have been learning how to administer a life-saving medicine to counter a suspected opioid drug overdose.
Frontline staff are now able to access and administer Naloxone.
Naloxone is a safe and easily administered medication which can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. It is not a controlled substance and has no effect on anyone who has not taken opioid drugs.
Cheryl-Ann Cruickshank, CEO of DUSA, said,
“This is an important step in helping to prevent deaths by drug overdosing and I welcome the training given to staff. We haven’t had any overdose incidents within DUSA, however this is another service that, whilst we hope we never have to use, could mean the difference between life or death and staff now feel positive about their competence and readiness to intervene should the need arise.’’
Across Scotland, the number of drug-related deaths has increased almost every year in the last two decades – culminating in the largest number ever recorded in 2019 – 1,264.
Increasing the distribution of Naloxone, with the aim of reducing the number of fatal drug related overdoses, is one of the main priorities of Scotland’s Drug Death Task Force. This is also recognised through the priorities of Dundee’s Alcohol and Drugs Partnership