Health

Public swine flu clinic scheduled for today

The Anchorage municipality's first public clinic for swine flu vaccinations will take place today but will be limited to residents who fall into one of the priority groups, city officials say.

Swine flu claims 10th Alaskan

A Fairbanks man in his 50s has died of swine flu, bringing to seven the number of Fairbanks-related deaths attributed to the disease, the state Department of Health and Social Services reported Wednesday. That's out of 10 Alaska deaths altogether.

Flu vaccine clinics limited to risk groups

Swine flu in Alaska

Alaska among states with lowest preterm-birth rates

Premature-birth rates in the Pacific Northwest are among the lowest in the nation, but the March of Dimes said that only earns Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Idaho grades of C on the organization's premature-birth report card.

Veterans in Pioneer Homes will get their medicines from VA

The state announced Friday that it has found a solution that will allow veterans who live in state-run Alaska Pioneer Homes to get the free or low-cost medicines they are entitled to from the VA, but have been denied in recent months.

Veterans caught in dispute over medicines

Nine Alaskans have died from swine flu so far

Another Alaskan, a middle-aged Anchorage woman, died from swine flu last week, the state Department of Health reported Thursday.

Murkowski slams Dem health care plans

At a town hall meeting in Chugiak Wednesday night, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski propped up a foot-high stack of paper next to her at the podium -- the 1,900-page health care bill passed by the House last week.

Juneau veterans clinic will open next spring

A new Veterans Affairs medical clinic is scheduled to open in Juneau next spring, allowing former service members to avoid traveling to Anchorage for routine care.

More swine flu vaccine on tap

About 6,700 doses of swine flu vaccine were allocated for Anchorage providers, hospitals and pharmacies this week, plus 3,800 doses for the Anchorage School District's vaccination efforts, a city health department official said.

Help foster children get braces, court tells the state

For the 63,000-plus young people in Alaska on Medicaid -- government health insurance for low-income people -- it just became easier to qualify for free braces for dental problems.

After hospital cuts, a new women's health center is born

The Wholistic Health Center was conceived earlier this year after a round of layoffs at the Bristol Bay Area Health Corp.'s Kanakanak Hospital.

Swine flu vaccinations scheduled for schools

The Anchorage School District has scheduled swine flu vaccination clinics at 25 schools the week of Nov. 9-15.

Murkowski continues health care meetings

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she will hold a town hall meeting in Chugiak on health care reform from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Wednesday at Mirror Lake Middle School.

Barrow dentist honored

For Amanda Gaynor Ashley of Barrow, skiing to work in polar bear country with .44 Magnum strapped to her hip was a bit of a departure from her East Coast upbringing.

Swine flu scare hits Diomede

A doctor and nurse flown by helicopter to one of the state's most hard-to-reach villages gave swine flu shots until 2 a.m. Friday as health officials scrambled to inoculate an entire Alaska community for the first time since the flu scare started.

Anchorage cancels swine flu shot clinic

The city, still short of swine flu vaccine, is cancelling a planned mass swine flu vaccination clinic next Saturday at UAA. Instead, it will make more vaccine available next week to private providers, Anchorage Neighborhood Health Clinic, and pharmacies in town, an official said.

School H1N1 vaccinations set

The Anchorage School District has scheduled swine flu vaccination clinics for children at 17 elementary schools this week.

Fairbanks woman dies from swine flu

A sixth Alaskan, a middle-aged woman from Fairbanks with underlying health problems, died Oct. 27 from swine flu, while a state medical team was sent to Little Diomede Island to deal with a suspected outbreak.

School H1N1 vaccinations set

Center takes on a sobering task as it opens for chronic homeless

An experiment at the Clitheroe Center, one of the biggest and oldest substance-abuse treatment centers in Anchorage, will try to help hard-core homeless alcoholics -- even though they don't want help.

What's killing the homeless in Anchorage?

Swine flu vaccination clinics set for several schools in next 2 days

The Anchorage School District has scheduled swine flu vaccination clinics for children at 17 elementary schools this week.

Veterans caught in dispute over medicines

Military veterans living in the state-run Alaska Pioneer Homes are losing out on free or low-cost prescription benefits they are entitled to for serving their country because two medical bureaucracies can't seem to figure out how to get VA drugs to them.

Swine flu clinics at 17 schools this week

The Anchorage School District scheduled swine flu vaccination clinics for children at 17 elementary schools this week.