Arizona Department of Health Services, Director’s Blog

Zika Planning Continues in Arizona

We hosted a Zika Action Plan Workshop and Tabletop Exercise on June 20 as part of our Zika preparedness series that began with the Zika Action Plan Summit in May 2016. Approximately 80 partners representing more than 25 local, tribal, and state organizations attended the latest workshop. The workshop events included […]

By | June 28th, 2017|Preparedness|Comments Off on Zika Planning Continues in Arizona

Take Precautions to Stay Safe in Excessive Heat

Excessive Heat Warnings have affected many areas of our state since June 17. Temperatures during the Heat Warning reached as high as 122 degrees in cities like Lake Havasu and Bullhead City. Other parts of the state including Glendale and Yuma were at 120. With the extended duration of this […]

By | June 27th, 2017|Preparedness|Comments Off on Take Precautions to Stay Safe in Excessive Heat

New eWIC Program Launched in Pinal County

The new eWIC is officially live in a beautiful new clinic in Casa Grande. WIC families will receive the same foods but shop using the new Arizona eWIC card rather than paper checks. Moms will find that eWIC is flexible and convenient as they can buy their WIC foods as needed and […]

By | June 26th, 2017|Prevention|Comments Off on New eWIC Program Launched in Pinal County

Update: More Progress on Addressing Arizona Opioid Epidemic

ADHS continues to work with partners to respond to the opioid emergency in Arizona, concluding our third week in the Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC). The teamwork across many areas has resulted in another week of significant accomplishments.

This week, we wrapped up our first week of data collection under the Governor’s […]

By | June 23rd, 2017|Prevention|2 Comments

Legionnaires’ Disease in Healthcare Facilities

A recent CDC Vital Signs highlighted Legionnaire’s Disease, a serious and often deadly, lung infection (pneumonia) caused by the bacterium “Legionella”. People are exposed to Legionella when they breathe in mist (small droplets of water in the air) containing the bacteria.

Most healthy people do not get sick after being exposed to Legionella. […]

By | June 22nd, 2017|Preparedness|Comments Off on Legionnaires’ Disease in Healthcare Facilities

Arizona Acute and Long-Term Care Infection Prevention and Control Collaborative

Our Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Program and Division of Licensing Services, collaborated with the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association, APIC Consulting Inc., Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG), and other state partners to provide a two-day Arizona Healthcare-Acquired Conditions (HAC) and Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) Prevention Summit.

The two-day collaborative, held June 8 […]

By | June 21st, 2017|Licensing, Preparedness|Comments Off on Arizona Acute and Long-Term Care Infection Prevention and Control Collaborative