Cabell-Huntington Health Department to end needle exchange program

CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The Cabell-Huntington Health Department is putting an end to their needle exchange program.

The department said this means they will no longer hand out sterile syringes. They explained that the decision to cut the program comes because they can now longer afford to fund it.

Anyone who needs help with injection drug use will still receive help; they just won’t get sterile syringes.

“It’s disappointing because the program is beneficial to a lot of people in a lot of different ways,” said Dr. Michael Kilkenny, director of the Cabell-Huntington Health Department. “It does help prevent infections, especially HIV. It is also a draw, a touch point for people who don’t generally go to the doctor or walk into a government building such as ours.”

The department said