South Georgia Medical Center recently provided a donation of Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan(r), to the Berrien County Sheriff's Office.

Narcan is a prescription medicine used to treat overdose from opioids, including heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioid medications. It quickly blocks the effects of the drug and restores normal breathing within a matter of minutes. There are three types of naloxone treatment available: nasal spray, injectable, or auto-injectable.

Following a recent influx of overdoses in Nashville, Georgia, Deputy Mike Register of the sheriff's department informed Selena Brady, SGMC Berrien Campus Director of Nursing, that their department no longer received the life-saving drug from the state. This was causing delayed treatment by first responders in the field.

Brady immediately started making calls to see how the health system could partner with the agency and help. As a result, SGMC was able to provide an initial donation of 50 doses of Narcan to the deputies.

"When Deputy Register told me that an accidental overdose could have been prevented by his officers, I wanted to make sure that they were equipped with every tool at their disposal to be able to save a life," shared Brady. "It is a collaborative effort to ensure the health and safety of our local communities, and we are proud to partner together."

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the opioid epidemic has gripped the population since 1999, as overdose deaths have continued to climb. Overdoses surged immediately after the emergence of COVID-19.

The CDC recommends that people who are at increased risk of opioid overdose or those who have a loved one who is struggling with opioid use disorder carry Narcan with them to prevent overdose death.