A study released Tuesday suggests Saskatchewan's needle exchange program is meeting the goal of reducing disease. (CBC)

A study released Tuesday suggests a provincially funded needle-exchange program is making a difference in Saskatchewan by sharply curbing disease.

The review, for the provincial Health Ministry, found that seven health regions have a needle-exchange program and an estimated four million needles are provided to Saskatchewan's 5,000 intravenous drug users each year.

The report concludes that the programs are meeting the goal of reducing the spread of disease.

It estimates that infections such as HIV and hepatitis C, which are expensive to treat, have been reduced in numbers by up to one-third among drug users, saving an estimated $4 million in health-care costs per year.

Despite the positive findings, the review notes there is room for improvement, especially in the area of needle returns and cleaning up discarded needles.

"It is meeting its goal in the fact that we are reducing harm for these addicts," Don McMorris, Saskatchewan's health minister, told CBC News in a telephone interview Tuesday. "But there is concern around the number of needles that are used, as well as the number of disposal sites that are available."

The report did examine those concerns and found that the risk posed by discarded needles is very low. It noted that in Regina, 94 per cent of distributed needles are returned in accordance with that health region's program guidelines.

No infections reported

The review also said there have been no cases in Saskatchewan of infection arising from a member of the public being accidentally pricked by a discarded needle.

The review was commissioned by McMorris after concerns were raised in some communities about the number of needles discovered on the ground after spring thaw.

"We need to do a better job of capturing those needles that go out from the needle-exchange program, plus any other needles that may be used in the community," McMorris said.

A committee has been formed to address the cleanup issue and find ways to improve needle returns, such as increasing the number of dropoff boxes.

The study noted that Saskatchewan's drug problem is different from that in some other jurisdictions.

It found that cocaine and morphine are the most commonly injected drugs in the province. Cocaine can account for a high demand for needles as each user can typically inject 20 or more times per day while in a using period.

That contrasts with other provinces where crack cocaine, which is smoked, is the more prevalent drug.