The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has welcomed the Andrews Labor government’s approval of a medically supervised injecting centre trial in Richmond.
Chair of RACGP Victoria Dr Cameron Loy said the safe injecting room would help reduce the death toll from heroin and protect the local community.
“The evidence is overwhelming, medically supervised injecting centres work,” Dr Loy said.
“The Victorian Government should be commended for approving this trial.
“Allowing heroin users to inject in a safe, clean environment under medical supervision will save lives.
“The medically supervised injecting centre will also remove needles from the streets, protecting the families living in the Richmond area.”
Dr Ines Rio, a GP at North Richmond Community Health, also welcomed the approval.
“A supervised injecting facility is a necessary part of the care that is needed,” Dr Rio said.
“Sometime we have to pull people out from between carparks and bring them into an area where we can resuscitate them; two women carrying this big weight because we can’t resuscitate the big guy in the position he is in.
“It’s all very well and good to say safety first, but if you rely on safety first the guy would be dead.”
The RACGP signed a joint statement supporting the introduction of a medically supervised injecting centre trial in Richmond and made a submission to the Victorian Parliament in May