Da Kine Star-Bulletin staff and wire services

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Molokai hospital wins diabetes recognition

Molokai General Hospital's Diabetes Care Program has received the American Diabetes Association Education Recognition Certificate for a quality diabetes self-management education program.

Programs must meet national standards to receive the certificate.

More than 110,000 state residents have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association in Hawaii. More than 60 percent of patients receiving kidney dialysis in the state have a primary diagnosis of diabetes. Native Hawaiians have the highest death rates, compared with other ethnic groups.

Diabetes is considered "a disease on the march" by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which estimates two out of three children born in Hawaii in the year 2000 will develop diabetes, the ADA said.

UHA aids Kapaau satellite family clinic

UHA, formerly known as University Health Alliance, is helping to support a satellite family clinic in Kapaau to avoid a crisis in health care access in the Big Island's North Kohala area.

The health insurer gave $25,000 to the Hamakua Health Center to help renovate and expand the Kohala Family Health Center to operate as a satellite clinic.

"Our support of Hamakua Health Center will mean thousands of North Kohala residents won't be left stranded without a doctor when they need one," Dr. Max Botticelli, UHA chairman and chief executive officer, said in a news release.

The funds will be used for renovations and capital improvements to expand the facility with physicians, nurses and staff. The clinic will offer general medical care, family planning and gynecological services, immunizations and basic diagnostic testing five days a week.

UHA, Hawaii's third-largest commercial health insurer, provides medical, drug and vision plans to more than 1,600 employers in Hawaii.

$5.8M in fed grants awarded to Hawaii

Federal grants totaling more than $5.8 million have been awarded to Hawaii, U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka announced.

The largest grants provide $2,190,500 to support improvements in the state Department of Health's mental health program and $2,093,000 for state alcohol and drug treatment prevention, Inouye said.

Akaka said he is "especially pleased" that five of the eight grants will fund programs that "empower native Hawaiians and other communities by providing access to education, health care and economic development opportunities."

The grants include:

» $377,091 for the Na Kamalei Koolauloa Early Education Program.
» $328,928 for the Wailuku Hoonui Mana Ohana Initiative Family Strengthening Program.
» $305,650 to the Native Hawaiian Tourism and Hospitality Association to expand economic opportunities for native Hawaiians.
» $200,000 for the Houlu I Ka Mea Kanu educational development project.
» $162,432 to the Hawaii Youth Services Network for programs that aid runaway and homeless youths and their families.
» $150,000 to Hui Malama o Moomomi for social and economic development.

New flu vaccine approved

A fifth seasonal flu vaccine has gained federal approval, further boosting the record levels of doses available for the upcoming influenza season.

The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it had approved FluLaval, made by the Canadian company Id Biomedical Corp., in part by relying on safety data from Canada, where the vaccine has been available since 2001.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate about 115 million doses of the vaccine will be ready for the 2006-07 flu season.

FluLaval is for use in adults only. It has not been tested in children or pregnant women.