Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH <br />January 22, 2004 <br />Board of Health Minutes Transcription completed by Anne Miles Cassell 3 January 22, 2004 <br /> <br />The department was inundated in December with increasing public demand for <br />flu vaccine. The increased demand was due to an unusually early peak in flu in <br />the community. Wayne Sherman provided the Board with updated statistics. <br /> <br />Staff held a de-briefing session to develop recommendations for future <br />responses. Results of that debriefing were discussed. <br /> <br />Rosemary Summers also provided the board with an update on the current <br />outbreak at UNC. <br /> <br />2. Triangle Collaboration to Reduce Syphilis and HIV <br /> <br />For the past ten years North Carolina has experienced high rates of syphilis <br />compared to other states. In the late 1990’s the CDC provided funding to <br />selected states to significantly reduce syphilis. In 1998, Orange County was one <br />of a handful of counties selected to receive funding based on increased rates of <br />syphilis. The high rate as reflected in the table in the attachment was a result of <br />a cluster outbreak of related cases. Once that cluster was addressed, county <br />rates fell dramatically. Orange County turned back the state funds when the <br />state mandated that they be used solely for phlebotomy in the community. <br />Syphilis continues to be a problem in Orange County on a periodic basis, usually <br />as a cluster surrounding a few individuals that become infected. Durham and <br />Wake Counties however, continue to experience more widespread issues. These <br />counties remain in the cluster of funded counties. CDC is aiming to reduce its <br />financial support in this area and wants local jurisdictions to take on a more <br />active funding and policy role to eliminate this infectious disease. To that end, <br />CDC held a community seminar inviting policy leaders from the funded counties <br />to present that notion. Commissioners from Durham and Wake County wanted <br />to form a regional partnership to address this issue and asked that Orange <br />County be a partner with them. <br /> <br />The three health directors have met and discussed the focus and made <br />recommendations for proceeding back to the commissioners who expressed <br />interest. The follow-up commissioner’s meeting for the Triangle area is <br />currently scheduled for Tuesday, February 17. <br /> <br />Board discussion resulted with the suggestion to add HIV and substance abuse <br />to the partnership efforts with other counties. <br /> <br />Motion of support for the staff to participate in a regional partnership with Durham and <br />Wake Counties and the addition of HIV and substance abuse to the syphilis issue was <br />made by Lee Werley, seconded by Kate Wilder, and carried without dissent. <br /> <br />D. Review of Final Input to Board of Commissioners for Retreat <br /> <br />The Board of Commissioners holds an annual retreat and asks all county Boards to <br />provide input and information to inform their retreat. Board members have reviewed <br />the list of suggestions made at the December meeting via email and provided no <br />additional input. The list of suggestions was submitted to the Commissioners office <br />on January 15, 2004.