News
West Virginia Naloxone Distribution
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources is distributing overdose antidotes to emergency first responders across the state.
WOWK-TV reports Senate Bill 272 went into effect Tuesday. The bill says all first responders will carry naloxone pending sufficient funding and resources. You can read the bill in its entirety here.
A department Health Officer and Commissioner, Rahul Gupta, says the department has bought $1 million worth of naloxone. That equates to about 34,000 doses, which Gupta says will be distributed between the state police, fire departments and emergency medical service responders. Eight high priority counties will each receive 1,000 doses.
The naloxone kits were bought with funding from the department’s Office of Drug Control Policy. The distribution is expected to be complete by the end of this month.