The chief executive officer of Melbourne’s only medically supervised injecting room has been stood down while the Andrews government conducts an urgent review into alleged drug trafficking by some of the centre’s staff.

A 36-year-old Brunswick West woman and 49-year-old Richmond man were among five people charged with trafficking a drug of dependence on Thursday.

The pair are allegedly community outreach workers whose job is to bring drug users into contact with the injecting room’s facilities and treatment options.

Acting mental health minister Luke Donnellan said on Friday that he supported the board’s decision to stand down the CEO of North Richmond Community Health while an urgent independent review was conducted.

“The medically supervised injecting room trial is about keeping Victorians safe and saving lives – and that’s what the evidence shows it is doing,” Donnellan said. “Since it opened more than 12 months ago, staff in the facility have safely managed more than 1,800 overdoses, many of which may have been fatal or resulted in serious injury if they had happened outside the MSIR.”

Reason Party MP Fiona Patten, a champion for the North Richmond room, said the centre should remain open, at least until the end of the trial.

“I don’t think it is time to rethink the supervised injecting centre,” she said 3AW radio on Friday.

“That centre is undoubtedly saving lives, it is being used by hundreds of people and for the first time we are talking about a very disadvantaged cohort entering into a health system.”

Patten suggested the needle exchange program could be relocated.

In the closing months of the centre’s trial in Melbourne, police accused workers of being involved in trafficking drugs but none of the alleged offences happened inside the facility.

A sixth person is also expected to be charged over trafficking a drug of dependence, while two others arrested were released pending further inquiries, police say.

“The trafficking of drugs causes significant harm in the community, which is why we are absolutely committed to arresting these offenders and putting them before the court,” acting Supt Kelvin Gale said.

“While we recognise those who use illicit drugs have a health problem, we also know that drugs are a big contributor to crime.”

The three-month investigation was targeted at drug dealers who “prey on the vulnerable,” police said.

The Nine Network has shown footage of staff at the injecting room shielding the arrested woman from the cameras.

“Two North Richmond Community Health Centre staff members have been stood down, following their arrest by Victoria Police today,” a statement from the health service said.

“North Richmond Community Health has begun a full investigation into this matter and will cooperate fully with Victoria Police, as its investigation continues.”

Donnellan said the allegations were very serious.

“Such behaviour is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” he said.

The review will be undertaken by former chair of Eastern Health, Dr Joanna Flynn. The deputy chief executive, Adam Hornsburgh, has been appointed interim CEO.

Opposition health spokeswoman, Georgie Crozier, said residents’ concerns about the centre had been realised.

“The residents, the police and others who have been saying that crime has gone up – the community is living in fear – has all been borne out with what is happening on the streets of Richmond each and every day,” she told 3AW.

There have been objections to the centre.

Parents from a nearby primary school have complained about its proximity to young children, and neighbours say there has been an increase in waste – including used syringes – in surrounding streets.

The state Labor government has already completed a purpose-built facility for the centre but insists its future will be based on the outcome of the trial.

Four of those charged – two men aged 49 and 51 and two women aged 43 and 42 – will face Melbourne magistrates court on October 29.

A 35-year-old man will face the same court on October 25.