ARPQC Launches Website to Provide Information About Maternity Care Services, Initiatives

By David Wise

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative (ARPQC), a partnership launched last year between the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), the Arkansas Department of Health and 34 birthing hospitals across the state, launched its new website recently, creating a hub for patients and health care providers alike to access pivotal information related to maternal health care in Arkansas.

The site, arpqc.org, houses information about the collaborative, provides education to help patients make informed health care decisions and includes resources for health care providers.

The ARPCQ’s mission is to decrease maternal morbidity and mortality in Arkansas. Between 2018 and 2020, 38 women in Arkansas died from pregnancy-related causes. According to the state’s review panel of medical experts, more than 90% of these deaths were potentially preventable.

ARPQC Launches Website to Provide Information About Maternity Care Services, Initiatives

Arkansas medical marijuana sales set record in 2023

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas medical marijuana sales set a new record in 2023 with a 2.53% increase over 2022, and the number of Arkansans with active marijuana patient cards rose 8.4% in 2023, according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA).

The DFA report posted Tuesday (Jan. 9) shows that medical marijuana sales totaled $283 million for the year, up from the previous record of $276 million in 2022. The state’s 38 dispensaries sold 62,227 pounds of marijuana in 2023, well above the 50,547 pounds in 2022. The state has licensed eight cultivators to provide products to the dispensaries.

The Arkansas Department of Health reports 97,374 active patient cards as of Jan. 9, up 8.4% from 89,855 at the end of 2022.

Arkansas medical marijuana sales set record in 2023

Arkansas Department of Health investigating locally-acquired malaria case

KUAR | By Daniel Breen

An investigation is ongoing after the first locally-acquired case of malaria was reported in Arkansas last week.

The Arkansas Department of Health says a resident of Saline County contracted the disease from an infected mosquito, but has since been released from the hospital. Malaria is potentially fatal, and can cause chills, fever and sweating typically a few weeks after being bitten.

Dr. Naveen Patil is deputy state health officer and medical director of infectious diseases at the Health Department. He says they’ve been testing mosquitoes for the malaria parasite.

Arkansas Department of Health investigating locally-acquired malaria case

James Gathany/AP

A female mosquito is seen in this file photo.

Rural Emergency Hospital bill expected to help financial crisis for some

by Ronak Patel (rspatel.personal@gmail.com)

Rep. Lee Johnson, R- Greenwood, filed a bill aimed at helping rural hospitals in financial distress. HB 1127, the Rural Emergency Hospital Act, would grant the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) the authority to license hospitals as “rural emergency hospitals.”

In an interview with Talk Business & Politics, Johnson explained this type of licensure can help hospitals in rural areas with their finances.

“It [Rural Emergency Act] provides a pathway for rural hospitals in Arkansas to take advantage of a new designation that was created by CMS [Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services] at a federal level. This new designation would allow qualifying rural hospitals to get reimbursed at a higher rate for outpatient services and procedures,” he said.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/01/rural-emergency-hospital-bill-expected-to-help-financial-crisis-for-some/

Active COVID-19 Cases in SW Arkansas

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 62

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 38

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 23

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 39

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 11

Active Cases Data for Miller County
Total Active Cases: 106

AUDIO: Keeping Tabs on Monkeypox

Dr. Atul Kathari, the medical director of outbreak prevention and response branch at the Arkansas Department of Health, shares the status and expectations of monkeypox in Arkansas.

https://www.kuaf.com/show/ozarks-at-large/2022-09-08/keeping-tabs-on-monkeypox

Courtesy/CDC

SW Arkansas COVID-19 Active Cases

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 73

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 63

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 40

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 51

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 19

Active Cases Data for Miller County
Total Active Cases: 144

Active Cases of COVID-19 for SW Arkansas

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 122

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 47

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 46

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 64

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 17

Active Cases Data for Miller County
Total Active Cases: 178

Current Active COVID-19 Cases Reported in SW AR

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 150

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 119

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 65

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 32

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 23

Active Cases Data for Miller County
Total Active Cases: 166

COVID cases expected to continue rising in Arkansas

KUAR | By David Monteith

BA.5, a subvariant of the virus that causes COVID-19, is contributing to rising cases counts and hospitalizations in Arkansas.

That's according to Department of Health Director Dr. Jennifer Dillaha who says the subvariant was identified in two-thirds of the cases tested last week using genomic sequencing. BA.5 was first identified and labeled as a Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization in January.

Forecasting by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates the number of people hospitalized in the state is expected to continue rising for at least the next three weeks. Dillaha says there are several reasons this subvariant is being transmitted more rapidly.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-07-11/covid-cases-expected-to-continue-rising-in-arkansas

KUAR News

File photo of Dr. Jennifer Dillaha, director of the Arkansas Department of Health.

Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery Begins in Arkansas for Kids 6 Months to Age 5

By Jacqueline Froelich/KUAF

Pediatric COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as six months of age are being delivered starting this week to Arkansas public health units, physicians' offices, medical centers, and pharmacies. Dr. Joel Tumlison, medical director for immunizations at the Arkansas Department of Health, provides guidance to parents and caregivers.

https://www.kuaf.com/show/ozarks-at-large/2022-06-22/pediatric-covid-19-vaccine-delivery-begins-in-arkansas-for-kids-6-months-to-age-5

Courtesy/Arkansas Department Of Health

Governor Asa Hutchinson Appoints Interim Secretary of Health

LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson today announced the appointment of Renee Mallory, RN, BSN to interim Secretary of Health.

Renee Mallory, RN, BSN, served as Chief of Staff for the Arkansas Department of Health. In this role, she oversaw all aspects of financial management, information technology, governmental affairs, human resources, policies and procedures, legal services, health communications, internal audit, and facilities support services.

"Ms. Mallory began working for the Arkansas Department of Health 33 years ago and has been integral as a leader in several programs that have benefitted the state." Governor Hutchinson said, "She has invaluable experience serving the state and will be a great fit as interim Secretary of Health."

Ms. Mallory also advised and assisted the Secretary of Health in setting policy and programmatic direction for the ADH as a whole to ensure programmatic responsibilities were met.

Ms. Mallory began her career at ADH in 1988 as a nurse surveyor for Health Facility Services. Throughout the years, she has served in various roles and most recently was the Deputy Director for Public Health Programs from 2018 to 2021. She was a past designee of the Secretary on the Tobacco Settlement Commission and the Arkansas State and Public School Employees Life and Health Insurance Board, where she previously served as Chair.

Governor Asa Hutchinson Appoints New Director of Department of Health

LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson today announced the appointment of Jennifer Dillaha, M.D. as Director of the Department of Health.

Since joining the Arkansas Department of Health in 2001, Dr. Dillaha has played a leading role in the Agency’s health promotion efforts, using a life stage approach that focuses on population-based interventions to improve the health and well-being of all Arkansans.

“Dr. Dillaha has played a significant role in guiding the state through the last two years of the pandemic.” Governor Hutchinson said. “She has shown her dedication to Arkansas, and I have full confidence that she will continue to lead the state in improved health outcomes with the same dedication.”

In August 2021, Dr. Dillaha was named the Chief Medical Officer. This is in addition to her role as Medical Director for Immunizations since November 2013 and the Medical Director for Outbreak Response since September 2019. Her charge in the role of Chief Medical Officer is to provide leadership and guidance for addressing Arkansas’s most pressing health problems, including COVID-19. She is a physician with specialty training in internal medicine and subspecialty training in infectious diseases and in geriatric medicine.

Prior to her current roles, Dr. Dillaha served as the State Epidemiologist from March 2020 to August 2021, Special Advisor for Strategic Initiatives in the Office of the Director from June 2010 to April 2013, and Director of the Center for Health Advancement from August 2005 to June 2010 at the Arkansas Department of Health. 

UAMS Researchers Find Link between Experiences of Racism and Vaccine Hesitancy among Black Arkansans

By David Wise

May 2, 2022 | FAYETTEVILLE – Researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Office of Community Health & Research have found that Black Arkansans who reported racial discrimination in the criminal justice system also experienced higher levels of hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccines.

According to the Arkansas Department of Health, only around 41% of Black Arkansans five years of age and older have been vaccinated against the coronavirus. In some Arkansas counties, more than 70% of the Black population remains unvaccinated.

https://news.uams.edu/2022/05/02/uams-researchers-find-link-between-experiences-of-racism-and-vaccine-hesitancy-among-black-arkansans/

Active COVID Cases in SW Arkansas

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 10

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 20

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 17

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 34

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 15

Active COVID-19 Cases in SW Arkansas Back on the Downward Trend

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 33

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 60

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 34

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 103

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 41

Active COVID-19 Cases in SW Arkansas

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 112

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 105

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 94

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 157

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 75

COVID-19 Active Cases in SW Arkansas

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 327

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 219

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 238

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 275

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 156

Active Cases in SW Arkansas COVID-19

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 620

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 460

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 414

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 333

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 236

Friday's Active Cases of COVID-19 in SW Arkansas

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 631

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 464

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 421

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 324

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 261