West Virginia State Officials Suspend Services At County Health Agency
MADISON, W. Va. (AP) — Services at a county health department in West Virginia have been suspended following an investigation by state health officials.
An onsight evaluation by the state Bureau for Public Health found deficiencies with operations including that the Boone County Health Department did not have written policies for infection prevention, hand hygiene, or environmental cleaning, news outlets reported. It also found that the facility needed a deep cleaning.
The suspension was announced in a Feb. 17 letter from Dr. Anye Amjad, state health officer and commissioner for the Bureau for Public Health.
"The results of this assessment indicate several areas of operational concern that require immediate attention in the interest of patient safety for the citizens of Boone County," the letter said.
The Boone County agency's health officer, Dr. Philip Galapon, said in a statement that it is "working diligently" with state officials to fix the problems "as quickly and efficiently as possible."
"The findings of the report are a combination of a declining economy, a declining budget and a very limited staff at this point," he said.
The investigation came on the heels of the health department giving 44 people an antibody treatment on Dec. 30 instead of coronavirus vaccinations.
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