Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 12, 1 December 1990 — He Mau Nīnau Ola [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

He Mau Nīnau Ola

Ho'oulu a ho'ola lahui: Mokuna 'eha (Propagate anel make healthy the race: Part IV)

Ninau: Is Kapi'olani Hospital recommitted to "the care and treatment of Hawaiian women during the period of childhood" as was its founding purpose? Pane: Ka pane pono (the proper answer) to

that ninau, of course, must eome from the president of Kapi'olani Medical Center (KMC), the Center's board of trustees, its staff and ultimately its patients, specifically kānaka maoli women and kamali'i (children).

On Sept. 22, when I met with KMC President Richard Davi, he confirmed his July 3 1 letter to me that the haukapila (hospital) "does not have programs or services (nor) ethnicity-based research specifically targeted exclusively to the Hawaiian population." Since 1972, KMC's charter no longer requires that a majority of its board and officers be of Hawaiian ancestry. This, it is said, because eligibility for federal funds requires no racial restrictions. Further, since 1976, Kapi'olani inqludes the former Kauikeolani Children's Hospital, whieh was founded in 1909 with no special commitment to kānaka maoli. Today, Kapi'olani Medical Center is only one component of the larger Kapi'olani Health Care System whieh, since December 1989, also includes Pali Momi Medical Center in Pearl City.

Although KMC has no special Hawaiian health programs, it does not discriminate against Hawaiians, says President Davi. While its current 13member board of trustees apparently has no kānaka maoli, Davi says it has been difficult to find qualified Hawaiians to serve on the board who are willing to meet the demands and risk the liability. However, a promising note has eome from former president of the board of Elia Long, who on Aug. 23 wrote: "It was not the intent of the board in 1972 to exclude Hawaiians . . . from the board or from being officers when it amended the charter. The intent was only to omit any reference to race because of federal grants. It was left up to the board . . . to make sure . . . Hawaiians serve as board members, but this did not happen over the years . . . In keeping with the historical background, Kapi'olani Medical Center should have a reasonable percentage of Hawaiians . . . on its board and as officers."

Another hopeful sign is that at least 10 of the 25member centennial committee of the Center are - kānaka maoli. These natives are Kahu Abraham Akaka, James Bartels, Gladys Brandt, Aliee Guild, Danny Kaleikini, Po'omaikelani Kawānanakoa, Elia Long, Miriam Crabbe Rogers, John Kaha'i Topolinski and Maili Yardley. No laila, I trust that you mea heluhelu (readers) will kāko'o (support) publicly calling upon these Hawaiian alaka'i (leaders) to use their prominent positions to assert their responsibility to their fellow kānaka maoli by promoting e ho'o-Hawai'i hou (re-Hawaiianization) of Kapi'olani Medical Center by recruiting suitable Hawaiian candidates when vacancies occur on the Center's board of trustees.

President Davi also replied that Kapi'olani has not participated in current planning for Hawaiian health programs under the federally-funded Native Hawaiian Health Care Act of 1988, because the Center has not been invited. No laila hou, I trust that 'oukou mea heluhelu will join in publicly calling upon Papa Ola Lōkahi, whieh has responsibility for overseeing the Health

Act, and the island-wide komike (committee) now planning Hawaiian health programs, to invite Kapi'olani Medical Center to participate and make available its considerable resources for ke ola o ka po'e_Hawai'i. Ninau: Is it true that you and He Mau Ninau are retirina from Ka Wai Ola O OHA?

Pane: In September, the Ka Wai Ola editor called to say that the OHA administrator had informed her that "others should share the burden" of writing on Hawaiian health for the OHA newspaper, and therefore, this eolumn for the December 1990 issue would be my last. No laila, mahalo to OHA for allowing me the opportunity to share my mana'o ke ola o nā kānaka maoli since July 1982, when 1 was first engaged by then editor Maleolm Naea Chun. Minamina I wili not be able to pane the many and

worthy remaining ninau you have submitted to me and mahalo piha ia 'oukou for your kāko'o and nā ulu (inspiration). I here list some of your unanswered ninau with the hope that my successor(s) will continue to meet your needs: Queen's Hospital's legacy to Hawaiian health, "maximum participation by Native Hawaiians" in Hawaiian health care and research programs. traditional Hawaiian cultural

values and practices. inter-facing of traditional Hawaiian healers in modern health care, need for hālau ho'ōla on all major 'ailana (islands), modern medical lexicon ma ka 'ōlelo makauhine, certifica tion of traditional practitioners to protect them and their patients; health education within the 'ohana, in nā kula (the schools), and in the work plaee. E ola mau 'o he mau ninau ola.