Health

Mayor Announces Emergency Rules for Maui County

Wednesday, March 18th, 2020

County of Maui News Release

Mayor Michael Victorino announced a number of Public Health Emergency Rules effective as of 7:45 a.m. Friday, March 20, 2020, directed toward limiting the gathering of groups of people and curtailing vehicular transportation except for essential activities or operation of essential business or government functions, such as travel to and from work and medical appointments.

 “We need to take dramatic action to limit the spread of this infectious virus,” Mayor Victorino said. “We cannot do this alone, so we’re asking our community to follow these rules and look out for one another as we face this unprecedented crisis.”…

Molokai Community Health Center COVID-19 Response

Tuesday, March 17th, 2020

MCHC News Release

Molokai Community Health Center is announcing several updates to the operations of their facility in response to the COVID-19 outbreak including Medical, Dental, Behavioral Health, WIC and Ka Hana Pono programs and services, effective immediately.

VISITOR POLICY:

1 visitor per patient is welcome Children under 12 years old are not allowed unless receiving care as a patient

TESTING LOCATION / ACT CLINIC:

Hours of operation for the Acute Care Treatment (ACT) Clinic: Monday thru Friday – 8:00 am to 11:00 am and 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

MCHC is an active COVID-19 testing site. Testing is administered via our onsite Acute Care Treatment (ACT) Clinic.…

Molokai General Hospital COVID-19 Protocols

Sunday, March 15th, 2020

Molokai General Hospital News Release

Molokai General Hospital has been working hard to keep on top of the ever-changing advisories and protocol related to the Covid-19 virus.  We want to assure you that we are able to provide testing to those needing testing and care to those who need care.  We have adequate supplies and medicines to handle patients presenting to our clinic or emergency department.

We have been preparing to continue offering excellent health care to our community. There have been many rumors circulating. Here are the facts:

There are currently no known cases of Covid-19 on Molokai. The hospital has not been on lock-down No one was being held in isolation We have a yellow emergency tent and it may be used to offer additional screening areas if needed.…

Concerns Rise Over Community Health Center

Saturday, October 26th, 2019

Frustrations over staff shortages, concerns about a medical clinic closure in August and what has been called “gross mismanagement” by organization leadership have left a path of broken trust in Molokai’s federally funded Community Health Center. Tensions have recently come to a head, and many community members and politicians are calling for the resignation of Health Center leadership.

Patients and family members have recounted how a clinic closure for four days on Aug. 22, 23, 26 and 27, as well as failures to refill prescriptions, make timely appointments and other issues with the Health Center have left them and their families in challenging or potentially life threatening situations.…

Emergency Device Helps Rescue Fishermen

Wednesday, June 13th, 2018

 

Last Thursday, two Molokai fishermen were stranded after their 18-foot boat capsized. A Coast Guard crew was able to quickly locate them and hoist them to safety after the fishermen activated an emergency beacon on board their vessel called an EPIRB, which stands for emergency position-indicating radiobeacon.

The two men, who were not identified, launched their boat from Kaunakakai Harbor Thursday morning to go fishing. They reported that a wave hit their boat, overturning it. They were able to swim out from under the boat but weren’t able to call for help, according to the Coast Guard. One of the Molokai residents swam back under the boat to manually activate the emergency beacon, and the signal was received by the Coast Guard at 12:06 p.m.…

Molokai Remembers Anthony Bourdain

Wednesday, June 13th, 2018

 

Anthony Bourdain, a celebrated chef, TV personality, travel and food commentator and host of the award-winning series, “Parts Unknown,” died last week at the age of 61. In 2015, Bourdain visited Molokai as part of the series’ episode on Hawaii food and culture, and many Molokai residents have been reacting to his death and offering tributes of their memories of him. Bourdain himself wrote fondly of Molokai on his blog following his visit.

“The place where I was happiest in Hawaii was the place everybody (native Hawaiians included) insisted that I would probably be least happy—or least welcome: Molokai,” wrote Bourdain.…

Tsunami Fears ‘Unfounded’

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2018

 

With the continuing volcano and earthquake activity on Hawaii Island, many Molokai residents have their bags packed, ready to run for higher ground in case a tsunami is triggered. But Cindi Preller, duty scientist and geologist at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, said that scenario is highly unlikely.

“The tsunami fears being propagated are unfounded,” she said. “The likelihood of a collapse from Kilauea is super low. The scary scenario that people are referring to is Mauna Loa [which is not currently erupting]. Kilauea has a buttress of sediment on the ocean floor… even if it does slide, it wouldn’t slide very far.”…

Landfill Expansion Planned

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2018

 

Molokai’s landfill is looming larger each year, and the existing facility is slated to reach capacity by mid-2020. Maui County’s Dept. of Environmental Management is now proposing a $6.5 million plan to add two new disposal cells to the Molokai Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility in Na`iwa that would bury the island’s waste disposal needs until 2038.

The two-phase expansion of disposal cells would increase the size of the existing 11.6 acre landfill to 18.4 acres. Phase 5 is projected for development in 2019 and Phase 6 would be completed in 2024. The project also includes relocating the existing green waste facility to another location at the landfill, as it currently exists where Phase 6 is planned.…

Drawing the Line on Sea Level Rise

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018

Drawing the Line on Sea Level Rise

By Audrey Newman, Community Reporter

A team of committed students, teachers and community members participated in the statewide Blue Line Project to “draw the line on climate change” and raise community awareness of sea level rise projections for Molokai last Saturday.   Sust`aina ble Molokai helped volunteers create a temporary blue line of ocean images and climate change messages along Kamehameha V Highway in front of Duke Maliu Regional Park to show the area vulnerable to permanent flooding in the next 40 years.  

“We chalked in a blue line to show where the new shoreline will be if we don’t take drastic measures [to address] climate change, sea level rise, and carbon emissions,” explained Vicki Newberry, team leader for Aka`ula School. …

Red Cross to Install Smoke Alarms

Friday, March 30th, 2018

Hawaii Red Cross News Release

On Saturday, May 5, a group of Red Cross volunteers will be installing free smoke alarms in homes in need on Molokai as part of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign. Red Cross volunteers will also be sharing fire safety information.

Smoke alarm installations are by appointment only. To make an appointment, please call and leave a message at the Maui Red Cross office at 808-244-0051 ext, 159.

Every eight minutes, the Red Cross responds to a disaster — and the vast majority of these are home fires. In the U.S., home fires kill more people each year than all other natural disasters combined.…