GOVERNOR LINGLE AND U.S. SURGEON GENERAL CARMONA SIGN PANDEMIC FLU PLANNING RESOLUTION
For Immediate Release: April 25, 2006
HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle, U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona, Lt. Governor James R. “Duke” Aiona, Jr., State Health Director Chiyome Fukino, M.D., and other state, county, federal and private sector officials met today at the Hawai`i Pandemic Flu Summit to review and coordinate national and state pandemic flu planning efforts.
The one-day conference, which was organized by the Lingle-Aiona Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office, focused on coordinating preparedness plans among different sectors of the community, including all levels of government, health care, business, military, emergency management, law enforcement, schools and the visitor industry.
One of the highlights of the summit was the signing of the Pandemic Flu
Planning Resolution, an agreement by the U.S. federal government and the
State of Hawai`i, to work together to refine and exercise plans for response
to an outbreak. The resolution documents the federal government’s
commitment to provide support to Hawai`i and the state’s commitment to
complete, integrate and exercise response plans. A copy of the
resolution is available at www.hawaii.gov/gov.
“It is critical that we continue to improve, update and revise our pandemic
response plans so that we are as prepared as possible,” said Governor
Lingle. “Today’s summit allowed us to share information across the
board, from the counties to the federal government, business and community
leaders, and to listen to a wide cross-section of those who need to be
involved in this important effort. We appreciate Surgeon General
Carmona’s ongoing support of our public health efforts in Hawai`i and the
valuable insight he provided during this summit. This level of
cooperation and collaboration will help keep our citizens safe and secure in
the event of an outbreak.”
The summit builds on a tabletop exercise Governor Lingle participated in at the Pentagon in February during which officials from the U.S. Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services and Homeland Security discussed the nation’s preparedness to respond to a pandemic outbreak originating in the Pacific.
The state’s Pandemic Influenza Plan was completed in December 2005 after extensive review and comment from government, public and private sectors. The plan was developed with input from health care leaders, emergency responders, and private industry. More information on Hawai`i’s pandemic response plan is available on the Department of Health’s Web site at www.hawaii.gov/health.
###
For more information, contact:
Dr. Chiyome Fukino
State Health Director
Phone: 586-4410
Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: 586-7708
Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: 586-0043
