Southeast Missouri Counties At Risk

(St. Francois County) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified 13 rural Missouri counties, including several in our listening area, that are at risk of outbreaks of H-I-V and Hepatitis-C because of drug use.

The C-D-C lists Iron, Crawford, Madison, St. Francois, Reynolds, Washington, and Wayne counties as vulnerable, along with Bates, Cedar, Hickory, Ozark, Wright, Ripley Counties.

State Senator Holly Thompson Rehder is sponsoring a bill that would allow organizations registered with the state to run a syringe access program to legally provide such drug supplies.

She says the programs help to reduce addiction, the spread of those diseases, and would save the state money.

The Senate has already passed the bill and it awaits a House committee vote.