With dozens of dirty needles being found on a near-daily basis in the heart of Broken Hill, community members believe it is time a drug rehabilitation centre was opened in the far west.
Businesses around Crystal Street and Crystal Lane and local workers say they are finding and disposing of used intravenous drug needles constantly.
Concerned community members are fearful of the risk this poses to the health and safety of those dealing with the issue.
The needles are supplied by the Far West Local Health District's Community Health Centre, located on the corner of Crystal and Sulphide Street, with the purpose of allowing those struggling with addiction to access safe and clean needles.
However, with the used medical equipment being discarded and dumped in car parks and on footpaths, business managers in the area are calling for proper services to be set up to mitigate the problem.
Rehab centre 'needed urgently'
Broken Hill City councillor Michael Boland raised the issue at Wednesday night's council meeting.
Mr Boland, who also managed a local club in the area, believed without professional supervision there was a greater risk to both drug addicts and residents.
"Broken Hill urgently needs a rehabilitation centre," He said.
"To be getting syringes to deal with a drug abuse problem in a dark lane at any time of the day in a CBD is just a really bad way to deal with an issue such as this.
"This really needs to be under supervision at the hospital or in the health service where the people can be supervised by a trained health professional to make sure it is not a risk to the community and they may be able to be referred to help at the same time."
Broken Hill Mayor Tom Kennedy said since the supply of the needles shifted from the Broken Hill Hospital to the health centre in the CBD, the problem had become a greater risk to members of the community.
Mr Kennedy said he would "hate" the thought of a young person being exposed to a dirty syringe used for intravenous drugs.
"It really, really concerns me. I have always been one that is not a fan of having syringes given out full stop," he said.
"But syringes given out in an area that has so much public use concerns me.
"I'd hate to ever hear of a child who has been pricked … you can imagine the terror on the face of a parent who has just heard their child has been pricked by a hypodermic needle."
Mr Kennedy said correspondence would be sent to New South Wales Health and the Far West Local Health District (FWLHD) to find a solution.
A spokesperson for the FHLHD said the free needle and syringe program was a vital service that helped protect people addicted to drugs from catching and spreading viruses including HIV and hepatitis C.
The spokesperson said each location where needles and syringes were provided were also equipped with safe disposal services.
"Without these services, rates of blood-borne infections would be higher in the community, resulting in a higher likelihood of infection, poorer health outcomes, and a higher cost to the health system," they said.
"Along with providing free, sterile equipment in a range of locations to reduce the sharing of injecting equipment, all authorised NSP outlets provide safe disposal services ... large, yellow community sharps disposal bins located at high-risk locations."
The spokesperson said the FWLHD closely monitored these high-risk areas and frequently performed clean-ups.
