Title: Hawaii first!

Author:

Section/SPIG: Health Administration

Issue Date:

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Gerald Ohta has been a member of the Section Council and is ARGC for Hawaii. He's on the Ed Board, JPC and Nominations Committee. He's also been on the CoA. He's the affirmative action officer and the state distance learning coordinator in the Hawaii State DOH. He's a former social studies and English teacher who's found PH more fun.

Did you know that the Hawaii State Department of Health was the first "state" department of health?

In 1836, Kuhina Nui or premier Kinau directed the pilot in Honolulu to ascertain if "Small Pox or other pestilent disease" was on board vessel entering the harbor. Her action is the first documented public health measure in the then Kingdom of Hawaii.

Later, pursuant to action in December 1850 by the privy council to Kauikeaouli, King Kamehameha III, a board of health was established by law for Honolulu in 1851 and extended Kingdom-wide in 1853 "to provide for all persons, sick with smallpox," and "make and publish such regulations for the public health as they may think wise and expedient, and enforce them by fines or otherwise through the Courts."

This preceded the Board of Health in Louisiana by two years.