Below is a report from a small syringe exchange in a city comparable to Lancaster. Note how much they are accomplishing to protect public health on a tight budget.
Not only are there city funded syringe exchanges in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, but the federal government both endorses them and recently has decided to make block grants available.
What is it about the trustees of Lancaster General Hospital that they will not help fund a syringe exchange here in Lancaster? Is it to spite NewsLanc?
Why haven’t the Lancaster Newspapers criticized LGH in its editorials? The Steinman owned periodicals have been supportive of harm reduction efforts over the decades
Disease is spreading, people are dying, and health care costs and taxes are soaring… Yet, despite its mission statement to support public health and education, LGH does nothing…hiding behind legal sophistries.
The Urban League had offered to take over and expand the tiny syringe exchange operated by the Bethel AME church if LGH would help the effort. It is time for LGH to review the matter and meet its legal, social and moral obligations.
February 2011 Monthly Report
Sixteen participants were tested for HIV in February
February 2011 Report
Total contacts: 346
Total IDU contacts: 272
Total unduplicated IDU contacts: 227
Syringes: 2740
Condoms distributed: Male- 2112, Female-44, Dental Dams-32 Finger Cots-35
Demographics of unduplicated IDU contacts:
African American male: 37
White Male: 40
Latino: 56
African American female: 24
White female: 42
Latina: 28
We completed 219 referrals for various services.
This month, as a result of our 73 total D&A referrals, eight participants entered into drug treatment facilities. This indicates those of whom we are aware; there may be additional entries of which we are not aware.
