News

Hawaii HIDTA Threat Bulletin – Fentanyl

Image Posted on Updated on

HAwaii HIDTA Threat Bulletin 9-26-22

Ka’u Peace Pole Dedication Ceremony – Sep 22, 2022

Posted on

Thursday Sept. 22, 2022
Ka’u Hospital – Pahala

United Nations 2022 Theme:    End Racism. Build Peace.

Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.

But achieving true peace entails much more than laying down arms.  It requires the building of societies where all members feel that they can flourish. It involves creating a world in which people are treated equally, regardless of their race.

Secretary-General António Guterres has said:

“Racism continues to poison institutions, social structures, and everyday life in every society. It continues to be a driver of persistent inequality. And it continues to deny people their fundamental human rights. It destabilizes societies, undermines democracies, erodes the legitimacy of governments, and… the linkages between racism and gender inequality are unmistakable.”

As conflicts continue to erupt across the globe, causing people to flee, we have seen race-based discrimination at borders. As COVID-19 keeps attacking our communities, we have seen how certain racial groups have been hit much harder than others. As economies suffer, we have seen hate speech and violence directed at racial minorities.

We all have a role to play in fostering peace. And tackling racism is a crucial way to contribute.

We can work to dismantle the structures that entrench racism in our midst. We can support movements for equality and human rights everywhere. We can speak out against hate speech – both offline and online. We can promote anti-racism through education and reparatory justice.

The 2022 theme for the International Day of Peace is “End racism. Build peace.” We invite to join the efforts of the United Nations as we work towards a world free of racism and racial discrimination. A world where compassion and empathy overcome suspicion and hatred. A world that we can truly be proud of.

Peace Pole History

The planting of peace poles emerged fro the spiritual journey of Japanese philosopher and author, Masahisa Goi. His spiritual path emerged from the dark hours of post-World War II; he realized in the
course of his healing work that people needed help healing their emotional side as well as the physical. To that end, he sought a simple practice that could be done by anyone. (Ref. Ke Ola Magazine Article:
author Jan Wizinowich).

The International Day of Peace (“Peace Day”) is observed around the world each year on 21 September. Established in 1918 by unanimous United Nations resolution, Peace  Day provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and tocontribute to building a Culture of Peace.

PEACE POLES AROUND HAWAII ISLAND

The first peace pole on Hawaii Island was planted at Kuhio Kalanaiana’ole Park in Keaukaha; followed by Kohala Innovations Charter School, Old Kona Airport Park, West Hawaii Civic Center, Palamanui Community College, Paleaku Peace Garden, Pahoa Puna Kai Shopping Center, STARS Peace Garden in Hilo, Tutu’s House in Waimea, Volcano Art Center, Liliuokalani Gardens and now on the grounds Ka’u Hospital in Pahala.
The planting of Ka’u Peace Pole on Ka’u Hospital grounds in Pahala embodies the cultural, spiritual, historical and personal commitment of keiki, family, Kupuna and community raising awareness and joining other Hawaii Island / global communities in promoting “World Peace”.

We look forward to celebrating “International Day of Peace” each year and invite everyone to join us. Be sure to bring your friends and family to visit our Ka’u Peace Pole in Pahala.


9:00am Dedication Ceremony Opening: Bell Ringing
9:05 Pule: Kupuna Jesse Ke, Ka’u Advisory Council
9:10 Pledge of Allegiance: Chuck Doyle, US Airforce Veteran
9:20 Welcome:
Bev Garrett, EmCee Volcano Rotary Club
Jennifer Aguiar, Ka’u Hospital & Rural Health Clinic
Auntie Jessie Marques, Executive Director Ka’u Rural Health
Community Association
9:30 Lee Lord, Hawaii County Mayors Managing Director
9:35 Michelle Galimba, Ka’u County Council Representative
9:40 Dan Brinkman, CEO Hawaii Health Systems Corporation
9:45 Unveiling of Peace Pole
9:50 Dedication
10:00 Closing Remarks:
MAHALO! to everyone for attending 2022 Ka’u Peace

Pole dedication ceremony

# # #

NACHW – COVID Newsletter – AUG-2022

Posted on Updated on

 

Community Health Workers united nationally to support communities in achieving health, equity and social justice.
www.nachw.org

Order from covidtests.gov TODAY


Summer is almost over and school will soon be back in session for children and teens across the country. As we get closer to the end of summer, it is important to ensure that our communities have at-home tests to quickly confirm infection and seek treatment and prevent transmission. Since January, www.covidtests.gov has been available for residents of the U.S. and territories to place orders of rapid at-home COVID-19 test kits.

We urge you to place an order as soon as you can so you and your community do not miss out on this opportunity. If you have already placed a first order but not a second, we encourage you to place your second order as soon as possible. Tests are completely free and are mailed to your address via USPS. 

How to place a second order: 
  1. Go to www.covidtests.gov  (SpanishSimplified Chinese)
  2. Click the blue button that says “order free at home tests”
  3. Fill out the information with your residential address
  4. Click the green button that says “check out now” 
What if I never placed a first order? 
If you have not placed an initial order, you can still place your first AND second order. Complete the ordering process above two (2) times to place both a first and second order. 


———————–
Just like with our first push for test orders, NACHW is dedicated to increasing access to testing resources for CHWs, Community Based Organizations, and our most vulnerable communities. To everyone who has and will help community members to access this opportunity, thank you!

NACHW provides resources around this opportunity and other COVID-19 materials in various languages at www.nachw.org/covidtests.

NACHW is not distributing these test kits. If you are unable to place an order because of an address issue, receive an error message, or need to make changes to your order, please use the USPS help request form to submit a ticket.
 

COVID Test Expiration Dates


Most COVID-19 Home Test Kits have received expiration extensions from the FDA. To see if your COVID-19 Test Kit has an expiration extension, see the List of Authorized At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests. Scroll to the lower half of the page, locate the brand of your test, and on the far right, click to see updated expiration dates. 

 

COVID-19 Resources


VACCINES: Vaccination and boosting are still the most effective ways to protect yourself from severe COVID-19 and hospitalization. Find your nearest vaccine and booster location at the official CDC vaccine tracking site: https://www.vaccines.gov/search/ 

TREATMENT: There are now treatment options for COVID-19, including Paxlovid. Test-to-treat locations at doctor’s offices, pharmacies and clinics now offer treatment options. Find local Test-to-treat sites near you through this website: https://covid-19-test-to-treat-locator-dhhs.hub.arcgis.com/

MASKS: Continue to protect yourself and others by wearing your masks in indoor and crowded spaces. Free N95 masks are available at pharmacies and health providers. Find out more information and locate your nearest provider at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/masks.html

Visit NACHW’s COVID test website for more information about covidtests.gov, opportunities, and other updates. Our webpage include resources in multiple languages, and instructional videos for tests. Visit our site at https://nachw.org/covidtests/
 
 

Telehealth Community Navigation Center

NACHW has partners with Día de la Mujer Latina to assist CHWs in ordering kits for themselves and their communities. 

A bilingual and community-centered call center for debunking misinformation, reducing mistrust, and providing navigation services for our underrepresented multicultural communities for health and social services, including information on vaccines, clinical trials and COVID 19. The TCN Center will be manned by Texas Certified Community Health Workers and Promotores statewide.

  • Call 281-801-5285 for English and/or Spanish. 
  • Call 281-801-9590 for Spanish

https://www.diadelamujerlatina.org/our-programs/ 

 
 
 
Copyright © 2022 NACHW, All rights reserved.
You were subscribed to the newsletter from NACHW

Our mailing address is:
NACHW
2 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116

Novavax COVID-19 vaccine available in Hawai‘i

Posted on

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

DAVID Y. IGE
GOVERNOR

ELIZABETH A. CHAR, MD
DIRECTOR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 10, 2022                                                                                                          22-097

Novavax COVID-19 vaccine available in Hawai‘i

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health announces scheduling opportunities for the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Novavax.

Novavax is a two-dose primary series vaccine for individuals 18 and older. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends administering the second dose three to eight weeks after the first.

Novavax is a protein subunit vaccine. It includes harmless proteins of the COVID-19 virus that trigger an immune response.

Protein subunit vaccines, which include vaccines for hepatitis B, whooping cough, shingles, and other diseases, have been used in the United States for more than 30 years.

“Novavax gives us another way to protect ourselves from COVID-19. Its arrival is great news for people who are allergic to an ingredient in the mRNA vaccines manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna or those who, for whatever reason, have been reluctant to be vaccinated,” said State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char, FACEP.

5 Minute Pharmacy on O‘ahu and Safeway Pharmacy in Kailua-Kona on Hawaii Island offer Novavax vaccinations. Scheduling information for 5 Minute Pharmacy and the Kailua-Kona Safeway is available on the vaccination map at hawaiicovid19.com.

Kaiser Permanente is also offering Novavax in all counties to members and non-members starting Aug. 15, 2022 by appointment only. Appointments can be made by calling 808-432-2000.

# # #

Community Message: 6-24-22 Police Warn Public About the Dangers of Illicit Fentanyl

Posted on

From: Hawaii Police Department <hawaii-police-department@emails.nixle.com>
Date: Fri, Jun 24, 2022 at 11:39 AM
Subject: Community Message: 6-24-22 Police Warn Public About the Dangers of Illicit Fentanyl

Agency Logo
Friday June 24, 2022, 11:38 AM

Hawaii Police Department

committed to preserving the spirit of aloha

   
Pictured: (1) Hawai‘i Police Department recently recovered fentanyl pills hidden in candy containers. (2): front and back of fentanyl laced oxycodone pill. Photo credit DEA. (3): Lethal dose amount of fentanyl on pencil tip. Photo credit DEA.

Community: 6-24-22 Police Warn Public About the Dangers of Illicit Fentanyl

FROM:
  Hawai‘i Police Department
  Criminal Investigation Division – Area II
  Captain Thomas A. Shopay III
  Phone: (808) 326-4646 ext.263

Media Release

Hawai’i Island police are educating the public about the dangers of fentanyl after seeing an increase in the amount of fentanyl being recovered in conjunction with recent drug investigations. Hawai‘i Police Department is a member of a newly formed fentanyl task force and is providing information in collaboration with the County of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center, and the Hawai‘i Health and Harm Reduction Center.

“We’re seeing more arrests and more fentanyl recovered,” said Captain Shopay, who oversees Hawai‘i Police Department’s Area II Criminal Investigation Division.

“Prior to 2020, annual statewide seizures of fentanyl were less than one pound, but from 2020 to 2021 Hawai‘i Island was responsible for roughly 30 pounds of the state’s overall 53 pounds of fentanyl seizures.

“The increase is troubling because very small amounts of the fentanyl, sometimes an amount equivalent to a few grains a salt, can be fatal.”

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can exist in various forms (e.g., powder, tablet, capsule, solution, or rocks). Although medically prescribed fentanyl has a legitimate purpose, illicit fentanyl, produced in unregulated and uncontrolled clandestine laboratories, can be deadly.

Illicit fentanyl production is not regulated and therefore there are no standards in production.  Because of this, concentration of the drug, even within the same lot can vary widely. This is of concern, since as little as two milligrams (about one grain of Hawaiian salt) of fentanyl can be fatal in a non-opioid-tolerant individual.

Drug traffickers will often try to disguise fentanyl as legitimate prescription pills in an attempt to reduce detection by law enforcement, but officers are also recovering fentanyl in powder form.

The powder form is more dangerous since it can easily aerosol if disturbed and when inhaled is rapidly absorbed into the body. Thus, personnel responding to a scene where powdered fentanyl is suspected may wear personal protective equipment while investigating the incident.

Be cautious of:

  • Unknown or unlabeled powders, solutions, or rocks.
  • Pills or capsules that may resemble actual medications, but their origin is not certain.
    • Did it come from a pharmacy?
    • Is it properly packaged/labeled?
    • Is there a medical prescription associated to it?
    • If the answer is no, do not touch.

What to do:
If you encounter prescription medication or drugs of unknown origin, don’t touch them. Try to determine the item’s identity by checking with people who could have placed it there. If unable to determine its origin and the drug-related item seems suspicious, notify police at (808) 935-3311.

Recognize fentanyl poisoning:
An individual experiencing fentanyl poisoning may exhibit one or more of the following:

  • Drowsiness or unresponsiveness
  • constricted or pinpoint pupils
  • slow or no breathing

If these signs are observed, contact emergency medical services at 911 and provide a description of the circumstances.

An option may be to administer Naloxone, if it is available and you have received training in its administration (Link below). Otherwise, follow directions from the dispatcher until emergency medical services arrive.

Below are additional resources available to help further your education on this topic:

Additional Resources:
https://www.getsmartaboutdrugs.gov/sites/default/files/2021-08/Fentanyl-2020.pdf
https://www.getsmartaboutdrugs.gov/drugs/fentanyl
https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2021-12/DEA-OPCK_FactSheet_December%202021.pdf
https://www.hhhrc.org/naloxone
https://www.bayclinic.org/cntu-campaign/publications.html

Additionally, households with unused or expired prescription medication may dispose of them at drop boxes at Hawai‘i Police Department district stations, listed in the below link:
https://www.hawaiipolice.com/community/drug-take-back-program

Remembering Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Tam

Posted on

 
The Hawaii Journal of Health & Social Welfare (below) shares a fond memory of Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Tam, HSRHA former treasurer. Her work with the HSRHA was highlighted in the article.
 
Dr. Tam is a very dear friend and colleague, who was the only academic professor that promoted community participatory research (VOG project), hiring research assistants from within the community.  Her contributions are many and I would like to share with our community how much she means to us. 
Mahalo,
auntie Jessie
See attached file for Additional Information