Elaine Hyshka
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ehyshka.bsky.social
Elaine Hyshka
@ehyshka.bsky.social
2.4K followers 690 following 360 posts
Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Health Systems Innovation at the University of Alberta's School of Public Health. Substance use and public health. Edmonton/Treaty 6. She/her. ichwp.ca + whyscs.ca.
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ehyshka.bsky.social
October 31, 2025 at 4:33 AM
ehyshka.bsky.social
Rationing respiratory virus vaccines that are safe and save lives + money is a new low for public health in Alberta. #ableg
August 13, 2025 at 3:40 PM
ehyshka.bsky.social
87 people died of drug poisoning in #yeg in March 2025. The highest monthly total recorded. Although we saw a early spike in EMS calls at the end of February there were no efforts to warn the public or put in place any additional preventative measures. #ableg
July 2, 2025 at 9:00 PM
ehyshka.bsky.social
Grim start to 2025 for opioid-related EMS calls in #yeg. Still no mention of this escalating crisis from the Minister of Health, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, or anyone else at #ableg.
May 16, 2025 at 3:35 AM
ehyshka.bsky.social
The Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians has put out a statment calling on governments at all levels to halt any plans to close supervised consumption services. #yyc #ableg #reddeer

caep.ca/wp-content/u...
March 31, 2025 at 3:45 PM
ehyshka.bsky.social
Not hard to imagine how that might have happened, when the planning was done by the Premier’s office.
March 21, 2025 at 2:49 AM
ehyshka.bsky.social
The Alberta substance use surveillance dashboard was updated today. Now showing 1414 drug deaths in 2024 (but will increase as death investigations are finalized). This is about 33% lower compared to 2023. Many US states are reporting reductions of a similar magnitude.
March 20, 2025 at 9:02 PM
ehyshka.bsky.social
Really nice to be @ucalgary.bsky.social last week to talk about supervised consumption services at the Mathison-Littman Research Day. Thanks for the invite!
Photo of me speaking with slide on SCS service models in the background.
March 17, 2025 at 4:24 PM
ehyshka.bsky.social
Still not a word from the Alberta Government or any public health or emergency response officials in Edmonton about the huge spike in EMS calls for drug poisoning. The week of Feb 24 we hit a record high -- 232 or 33 per day. #yeg #ableg
Record number of EMS call outs for drug posioning recorded in Edmonton the week of Feb 24.
March 12, 2025 at 7:30 PM
ehyshka.bsky.social
This one was a long-time in the making:

"Ensuring people who use drugs are equitably and safely included at meetings and conferences." 🧪

journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/jc... [open access]
March 7, 2025 at 9:03 PM
ehyshka.bsky.social
What is going on with opioid-related EMS calls in #yeg? Last week there were 154 EMS activations in #yeg compared to 8 in #yyc. This is consistent we a trend we have been seeing since the start of the year. Where is the public health warning?
Image showing proportion of EMS calls for opioid-related events by municipality in Alberta in 2025. Edmonton accounts for vast majority of calls in 2025.
February 26, 2025 at 10:44 PM
ehyshka.bsky.social
The gap between First Nations and non-First Nations life expectancy in Alberta is 19 years, and wider now than any other point on record. This is a provincial and national emergency. #ableg

www.stalbertgazette.com/local-news/f...
Graph showing divergence of life expectancy amongst First Nations and non-First Nations people in Alberta between 1999 and 2023.
February 9, 2025 at 8:52 PM
ehyshka.bsky.social
Would be highly ironic (and very sad) if Premier Smith's unwillingness to meaningfully address homelessness and drug poisoning in her own backyard contributed to the US President's decision to levy tariffs against Canada. #ableg

www.theglobeandmail.com/world/articl...
February 3, 2025 at 10:18 PM
ehyshka.bsky.social
New correspondence in @thelancet.bsky.social Regional Health on how Trump's border tariffs will undermine an effective response to the drug overdose crisis in the US.

www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

by Mohammad Karamouzian and @danwerb.bsky.social
January 19, 2025 at 4:44 PM
ehyshka.bsky.social
Albertans give Alberta's recovery-oriented system of care poor grades overall. #ableg
www.camimh.ca/_files/ugd/b...
January 15, 2025 at 7:29 PM
ehyshka.bsky.social
Safe harbour homeless shelter residents recognized as heroes for pulling workers out of a burning building following bus terminal explosion in Red Deer. #ableg

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
January 11, 2025 at 4:03 AM
ehyshka.bsky.social
New 🧪 report out from our team. We conducted an epidemiological survey of 499 people who use drugs in central Edmonton to assess their health, wellbeing, and service needs. #yeg
Infographic of main findings of the report.
December 11, 2024 at 8:19 PM
ehyshka.bsky.social
Great to hear @janephilpott.bsky.social speak about health systems leadership + opportunities for primary care reform at @ualberta.bsky.social School of Public Health’s Douglas R Wilson lecture today.
Jane Philpott standing at lectern on stage
November 20, 2024 at 12:18 AM
ehyshka.bsky.social
Just heard Adrianna Lagrange suggest the UCP government has increased mental health and addiction spending from $50 million to well over $1 billion. But we were spending $750 million more than a decade ago. Weird to hear that claim go unchecked. #ableg

open.alberta.ca/dataset/9f72...
November 18, 2024 at 4:27 PM
ehyshka.bsky.social
Katz group (billionaire) + the Oilers (#1 for revenue generation in the NHL) are suing Boyle Street (nonprofit) trying to renege on a promise to donate $5 million made while acquiring Boyle Street’s building. Explains why the agency was suddenly evicted last year. #yeg www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
February 9, 2024 at 5:28 PM