Arielle Argel joined the KITV4 Island News team as a Multimedia Journalist in June 2023. She is from Ewa Beach, Hawaii and is a recent graduate from Washington State University (Go Cougs!). She is passionate about telling stories that help and highlight the community.
Starting April 8, veterans will be able to receive many different types of health care services at the Daniel Kahikina Akaka VA Clinic, located on Oahu's Kapolei.
KAPOLEI, Hawaii (Island News) – Starting April 8, veterans will be able to receive many different types of health care services at the Daniel Kahikina Akaka VA Clinic, located on Oahu's Kapolei.
Elroy Akana and his dad, Alvin Akana, were some of the first patients at the new VA Clinic. Elroy said the new location helps make getting healthcare more accessible.
“Geographically speaking, it was hard for the veterans to commute to Tripler [Army Medical Center], just to get onto the base. It’s much easier now and don’t have to fight traffic,” said Elroy.
Alvin said he and his son come from a long line of veterans. He said a health care clinic for veterans on the west side of Oahu is long overdue.
“Veterans from Waianae, Makaha, Makakilo, Ewa Beach, Kapolei, there's a big community here. If you put all those cities together that’s like one fourth of the island,” said Alvin.
The $130-million clinic is more than 88,500 square feet and provides primary and mental health care, X-ray, laboratory and diagnostic services, a pharmacy, special care, and telehealth services.
This new clinic is not only open to veterans living in Hawaii, but veterans living throughout the pacific islands as well. For veterans living across the island or coming from the airport, the clinic offers rides to and from the clinic with 24-hour notice.
“All together, here in the pacific islands, we have approximately 130,000 veterans. Here on the west side we have about 15,000 potential veterans who can receive care here in Akaka,” said Amy Rohlfs, the public affairs officer for the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System.
Rohlfs said in the future the clinic hopes to add more services such as adding an MRI machine.
For veterans interested in going to the clinic, you can apply through the clinic’s website or call 800-214-1306.
Arielle Argel joined the KITV4 Island News team as a Multimedia Journalist in June 2023. She is from Ewa Beach, Hawaii and is a recent graduate from Washington State University (Go Cougs!). She is passionate about telling stories that help and highlight the community.
