The former Public Health Preparedness branch of DOCD has been reorganized as the Office of Public Health Preparedness (OPHP). OPHP is tasked with preparing for, responding to, and assisting in recovery from natural and human-caused public health incidents and threats.
Funded by a Hospital Preparedness Program-Public Health Emergency Preparedness cooperative agreement with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), OPHP is able to help DOH fulfill its many roles and responsibilities to protect the public’s health and safety in the event of an emergency or disaster.
Along with its broader health emergency preparedness responsibilities, OPHP also coordinates Hawaii’s smallpox vaccination program, administers the Strategic National Stockpile for distribution of emergency pharmaceuticals in case of public health emergencies, and collaborates with the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA), Hawaii Healthcare Emergency Management (HHEM), county-level emergency management and civil defense agencies, and other related stakeholders in the development and implementation of state and local response plans for bioterrorism and other public health emergencies.
Last reviewed January 2019