Bill Text: HI SR65 | 2018 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requesting The Department Of Health To Hire A State Veterinary Medical Officer To Prevent The Spread Of Rat Lungworm Disease And Other Zoonotic Diseases In The State's Human Population And To Support Statewide Efforts In Protecting And Improving Human Health.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-03-15 - Referred to CPH, WAM. [SR65 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2018-SR65-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.R. NO. |
65 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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SENATE RESOLUTION
REQUESTING the department of health to hire a STATE veterinary MEDICAL OFFICER to prevent the spread of rat lungworm disease and other zoonotic diseases in the State's human population and to support statewide efforts in protecting and improving human health.
WHEREAS, zoonotic
diseases are caused by infection from viruses, bacteria, parasites, or fungi
and can be transmitted directly or indirectly to humans by consumption of
contaminated foodstuffs or contact with infected animals; and
WHEREAS, zoonotic
diseases can cause illness of varying severity or even death in people; and
WHEREAS, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention reports that zoonotic diseases are very common
and every year tens of thousands of Americans will get sick from them; and
WHEREAS, leptospirosis, E. coli infection,
methicillin-resistant staphylococcus
aureus infection, ringworm, toxoplasmosis,
salmonella infection, tuberculosis, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza
virus, also known as bird flu or swine flu, brucellosis caused by Brucella
suis, and angiostrongyliasis
cantonensis, more commonly known as rat lungworm disease, are examples
of zoonotic diseases; and
WHEREAS, zoonotic
diseases are very well understood and studied by veterinarians; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature
finds that in the past, the Department of Health had a Public Health Veterinarian
position that was filled by a doctor of veterinary medicine; and
WHEREAS, David Sasaki,
doctor of veterinary medicine and a world expert on leptospirosis, filled that
position, and also oversaw the production of public health publications that
were distributed to Hawaii physicians and veterinarians; and
WHEREAS, those
publications were well received and helped educate physicians about disease
reporting requirements, the prevalence of a number of diseases in the State,
and the appropriate treatment for the diseases; and
WHEREAS, while the
publications provided vital information on specific topics such as resistance
to antibiotics of common venereal diseases such as gonorrhea, the publications
also provided a deeper understanding of the risk of animal diseases to humans;
and
WHEREAS, most health
departments across the nation have a position filled by a doctor of veterinary
medicine that is usually designated as a public health veterinarian; and
WHEREAS, establishing a State
Veterinary Medical Officer position within the Department of Health may help to
prevent the spread of rat lungworm disease and other zoonotic diseases in the
State's human population and support statewide efforts to protect and improve
human health; and
WHEREAS, a State Veterinary
Medical Officer could also revive public health publications and disseminate the
publications in electronic form, as well as couple the publications with
continuing medical education for physicians, nurses, and veterinarians to help
ensure that the State's health care workforce is continually updated on the
latest information on zoonotic diseases; and
WHEREAS, a State Veterinary
Medical Officer may also help address the current outbreak of rat lungworm
disease in humans, dogs, cats, and horses in the State; and
WHEREAS, global warming
contributes to the increase of the number and types of viruses, bacteria,
parasites, and fungi that are spread between animals and humans, which makes
early detection and study of these vectors and the illnesses they cause
imperative to protect public health; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED
by the Senate of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular
Session of 2018, that
the Department of Health is requested to hire a State Veterinary Medical
Officer to help prevent the spread of rat lungworm disease and other zoonotic
diseases in the State's human population and support statewide efforts to
protect and improve human health; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Veterinary Medical Officer
