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Last updated on Thursday, July 13, 2017
(ANDERSON) - The Madison County Council will vote at their meeting next month whether to stop funding or donations to the county health department’s needle exchange program.
According to the Anderson Herald-Bulletin, the County Council introduced an ordinance to stop funding the program which started nearly two years ago.
The proposal would prevent any money from the county or donations to be made to the Madison County Health Department to purchase needles or accept any clean ones which have been donated by another organization.
Stephanie Grimes, the Madison County Public Health Coordinator, says it is difficult to put a number on the number of cases of HIV and hepatitis that have been prevented by the distribution of clean syringes to drug users, but she believes the program works.
"If I gave out 300 needles, I'd like to think then that's 300 times infection was prevented," says Grimes.
The council is scheduled to vote on the ordinance at their meeting on Aug. 8.
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