HJBR May/Jun 2021

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  MAY / JUN 2021 35 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com U.S. population needs to be vaccinated, health officials have said. Multiple surveys have indicated high rates of “vaccine hesitancy” within the Afri- can American community and other communi- ties of color, however, and that is likely impact- ing immunization rates, along with access issues. Recent data show Blacks make up only 6% of those who had been vaccinated despite consti- tuting 13% of the population and accounting for 15% of all COVID-19 deaths. In addition to the PSA, which will run on TV and digital platforms, Louisiana Health Care Connec- tion’s Chief Medical Officer Stewart Gordon, MD, is speaking with communities across Louisiana to share general information about the vaccine, the phased approach to availability, its safety and effi- cacy, and other details. “Uncertainty around the COVID-19 vaccine could lead some people to delay getting the shot, but getting vaccinated is the key to being able to return to many of the things we care about most, especially safely spending time with family and friends,” Gordon said. “Through this campaign, we want to empower people to actively contrib- ute to their health and wellbeing by informing them about the benefits of the vaccine.” The PSA campaign launched nationally with PSAs from Hall of Famers Anthony Muñoz (in both English and Spanish), Darrell Green and Aeneas Williams; Lisa Salters, a Hall of Fame Selector and TV broadcaster; Dawn Staley, a three-time Olympic gold medal winner and coach of the 2017 national champion University of South Car- olina women’s basketball team; and Iman McFar- land, chief operating officer for 21st Century Expo Group and an ambassador for the Hall’s and Cen- tene’s joint “Strong Youth Strong Communities” programming. The PSAs are designed to build confidence around the vaccine and encourage people to get vaccinated. The messaging not only focuses on the vaccine as a means of pro- tecting yourself, but also to stop the spread of the virus to family and friends. In the PSAs, the Hall of Famers talk about the people in their lives who are counting on them to get the vaccine to stay healthy. “As we’ve seen throughout the COVID-19 pan- demic, we’re a team and need to work together to stop the virus from spreading,” said David Baker, president and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “We recognize there are a lot of questions out there about the vaccine, so we want to make sure we’re reaching as many peo- ple as possible. We thank Aeneas for encourag- ing everyone to get vaccinated for the sake of their loved ones.” The Pro Football Hall of Fame is Centene’s Offi- cial Youth Wellness Partner. Through the “Strong Youth Strong Communities” program the last four years, Hall of Famers have discussed important issues with youth, including mental health, sui- cide, and bullying. During the COVID pandemic, virtual Youth Summits have been held in a num- ber of states on these topics. For its work on these issues, the Hall of Fame was the recipient of the 2019 Booker T. Washington award from the National Minority Quality Forum for its commit- ment to advancing health equity. Longtime Gonzales Physicians Join Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Longtime Gonzales area physicians, David Gboloo, MD, and Gertrude Gboloo, MD, have joined Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group. Gboloo and Gboloo will see patients at two loca- tions in the area offering patient services related to disease prevention and screenings, diagno- sis, and treatment of many types of illness, injury care, counseling, and complete coordination of patient care. Natives of Ghana, the Gboloos have been liv- ing and practicing medicine in Gonzales, Louisi- ana, for more than 15 years. Gboloo earned a medical degree from the Uni- versity of Ghana Medical School in Accra, Ghana. He completed internships in internal medicine and obstetrics and gynecology from Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra. After moving to the United States, he completed a residency in internal medicine at Brooklyn Jewish Hospital in New York. He is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a member of the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, and the Louisiana State Medical Society. Gertrude Gboloo completed a medical train- ing at the University of Ghana Medical School in Accra, Ghana, and a residency in family med- icine through Louisiana State University Health Shreveport in Alexandria, Louisiana. In addition, she holds a Master of Public Administration from Southern University in Baton Rouge. She is board- certified by the American Board of Family Medi- cine and is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Louisiana State Med- ical Society. The providers are seeing patients at Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Philippe located at 524 S. Philippe Avenue in Gonzales and at Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Gramercy located at 800 N. Airline Avenue in Gramercy. WorldWater Day: PuttingWater within Reach for LA Students World Water Day, which was March 22, high- lighted the importance of access to safe, clean water worldwide. A United Nations-observance held every year, the day raises awareness of a problem throughout the world, including the United States and the State of Louisiana. During a time when the COVID-19 pandemic David Gboloo, MD Gertrude Gboloo, MD