Watsonville Community Hospital holds overdose awareness event
WATSONVILLE, Calif. (KION-TV): Health experts across the globe and here on the Central Coast recognize today as International Opioid Awareness Day.
Three years after his death, Lisa Marquez continues to mourn the loss of her son. Fernando Sanchez died back in 2020 after overdosing on fentanyl.
It's a substance that more people have overdosed on in Santa Cruz County than any other substance.
“It breaks my heart that we have this poison going around and killing our youth,” said Marquez.
Marquez spoke at the opioid awareness event at Watsonville Community Hospital. Educating people about the deadly epidemic plaguing the Central Coast.
"The numbers are not going down; they're only going up,” said Marquez, “And I don't want to find another mom going through this heartbreak that I'm going through.”
Watsonville Community Hospital said they've seen an increase in drug overdose cases over the last few years.
"We've seen an increase of cases, especially after the pandemic," Emergency Medicine Physician, Dr. Marissa Haberlach. “With increased stress and substance use.”
One of the ways to prevent overdose deaths is with the use of Narcan. Multiple organizations gave out Narcan at the international overdose event, but Watsonville Community Hospital staff said anyone could come to the hospital at any time and get Narcan—they even have staff to show people how to use it.
"All the nurses in the emergency department have been educated on how to teach other people how to use Narcan," said Emergency Medicine Physician, Dr. Marissa Haberlach. "The Narcan kit comes in a box with two nasal packets."
Watsonville Community Hospital also said they have a substance use navigator who helps connect people to resources locally—whether that's a clinic or a rehabilitation center.
In a statement by Dr. Lisa Hernandez, from Santa Cruz County Health Services, it said, quote: “In Santa Cruz County, the latest data highlights a concerning trend. The number of deaths linked to opioid overdoses has been steadily increasing. In 2021, there were 39 lives lost due to opioid overdoses, indicating a notable 49% rise in the death rate from 2019 to 2021."
