Vancouver Island Health Authority staff are familiar for the increasing need for primary health care among the homeless. More than 30,000 Canadians are homeless on any given night. Their problems are compounded by rampant opiod use.

‘Clinic on wheels’ exists to break the cycle of addiction, mental illness and poverty for homeless people. The mobile clinic, to date, have supported more than 12,000 patient visits.

“People need help and they need help right away,” said Blanchette Lamothe, the Street Nurse team.

This year, there will be 10 cities with these clinics, including Edmonton, Ottawa, Waterloo and Halifax.

With the launch of the mobile clinic, homeless or impoverished people get the medical help and treatment they need without going to the hospital - meaning they will be able to get the best care and that their infections can be treated earlier on - preventing the need to be hospitalized or have expensive surgeries.

In Victoria, anyone who needs the services of the mobile clinic will not be turned away.

One common infection of a West Coast homeless person is “Street feet” - referring to feet that are exposed to moisture for a prolonged period of time. Also, homeless people could contract bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, hepatitis and various other serious health afflictions that can be passed onto the homeless population.