North Central Health District installs harm reduction vending machines in Macon-Bibb, Houston County

North Central Health District installs harm reduction vending machines in Bibb and Houston County.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT)- The North Central Health District has installed two harm reduction vending machines — one at the Macon-Bibb County Health Department and the other at the Houston County Health Department.

Officials say the machines are part of the district’s opioid and overdose prevention program.

Marissa Cooling, overdose opioid program manager with the North Central Health District, says, “We’ve seen increases in overdoses all across the last few years, and we’ve really have been wanting to put something out in the community that’s a free resource, that will positively affect the overdoses that we have been seeing, fatal and non-fatal.”

The machines are stocked with Naxolene nasal spray, a generic Narcan; fentanyl and xylazine testing strips; hygiene kits; and condoms with free HIV test information.

They are tools health officials say are critical.

Cooling says, “This isn’t the drug supply of ten years ago. It’s definitely contaminated, definitely poisoned, and most people don’t always know what they’re ingesting. This really is a way to keep people safe.”

Medical professionals say overdoses remain an issue even as overall numbers show improvement.

Dr. Figueroa with Piedmont Macon Medical Center says access to harm reduction tools and education can help prevent deaths while people work toward recovery.

Cooling adds, “Narcan can counteract the opiates while emergency room services come in, and you can save a life doing that. We educate our communities, but we also provide the means to prevent a death.”

Health officials say two more vending machines are planned for Bibb and Houston counties, along with outdoor naloxone access boxes that will be available 24 hours a day in areas with higher overdose rates.