Island
County Board of Health
Special
Session - Monday, January 10, 2005
Members Present: Commissioners: Mike
Shelton, Mac McDowell, William J. Byrd; Members: Barbara Saugen, WGH Commissioner; Roger S. Case, MD, Executive Secretary
to the Board.
Absent: Ex-Officio Member: Captain Susan B. Herrold, Commanding Officer
of Naval Hospital Oak Harbor.
Call to Order: Commissioner Mike Shelton called this special session of the
Island County Board of Health to order at 1:18 p.m. This being a Special Board of Health, the agenda is set and
public comments not pertaining to the published agenda will not be taken.
Agenda: There were no changes or additions to the agenda.
Minutes: WGH Commissioner Barbara Saugen moved that the minutes for the
December 20, 2004 meeting be approved as written. Commissioner Mac McDowell seconded.
New Business: Presentation: Lea Kouba, Island County Health Department HIV/AIDS Specialist, presented the HIV/AIDS/STD status in Island County. Lea reported that HIV/AIDS in Island County falls into two categories: (1) Care; (2) Prevention. Counseling and testing are aimed at prevention, as are needle exchanges and jail work. In the 1980’s, statistics on HIV infection were done based on where people were living when diagnosed. 75 people lived in Island County when diagnosed. This statistic does not count people who have moved here after their diagnosis or have moved away or died. Since 1999, Island County has had 17 new diagnosis reports.
We have had the opportunity to test 111 people in the IC jail for STD’s. Lea reported that unfortunately, risk behaviors are increasing. The Board of Health can provide help by:
- General awareness of the problem(s)
- Advocacy
- Attend fundraisers
Commissioner Shelton asked about the cost of treatments. Lea advised that HIV/AIDS drug therapies can go as high as $10,000 to $12,000 per month. In some cases, the state will pick up the entire cost of the array of drugs if an individual is not able to pay. Barbara Saugen asked about the numbers of people who might come here to die. Lea agreed that people go to where they can get support but did not have a number. The rate of new transmissions is now at about 4%.
Dr. Case commented that we have only had the new generation of drugs for about 12 years and so don’t know the long-term effects.
Report from the Health
Department:
1.
Tim McDonald, Health Services Director, advised the Board that
he had received a letter from Mayor Patty Cohen resigning her seat on the Board
of Health and that the matter will be included on the February 7, 2005 Board of
Health agenda.
2.
Director McDonald handed out copies of a letter prepared with
the Board’s instruction advising Ms. Marilyn Hilton of the conditions for the
Board’s waiver for her well site approval.
Mr. McDonald advised the Board that the Health Department has about 100
adult doses of flu vaccine available and suggested that all adults now consider
receiving a vaccination.
Board of Health, Special Session
Minutes - January 10, 2005
Page 2
Adjourn:
There
being no further business, Commissioner Shelton adjourned the meeting at 2:04
p.m. The next meeting of the Board will
be a Special Board of Health on February 7, 2005.
Submitted: [original signed by] Roger S. Case, MD, Executive Secretary
to the Board
Minutes
approved this 7th day of February 2005.
[original
signed by] Mike Shelton, Chairman