LDH Northshore regional medical director, staff honored by Louisiana National Guard

Dr. Gina Lagarde, regional medical director for the Louisiana Division of Well being’s (LDH) Workplace of Public Well being for the Northshore area, and members of her emergency preparedness (EP) workers have been lately acknowledged by the Louisiana Nationwide Guard (LANG) with its Distinguished Civilian Service Award.

Dr. Lagarde was acknowledged for her work in coordinating the Area 9 COVID-19 response over the previous two years throughout a current ceremony on the Hammond Parish Well being Unit. “I need to thank Dr. Lagarde for her management on this neighborhood and her ardour,” Brig. Gen. Cindy Haygood mentioned. “You may all the time hear that she could be very enthusiastic about what she’s doing — about her staff and her neighborhood — and it makes a world of distinction.”

Dr. Lagarde is answerable for total day by day public well being wants in Area 9, which encompasses Livingston, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes. For the previous two years, Dr. Lagarde was charged with coordinating a complete response to COVID-19.

Additionally honored with the Distinguished Civilian Service Award have been LANG Brig. Gen. Patrick Bossetta for his position as COVID-19 coordinator, Area 9 Hospital Nurse Coordinator Rhonda Baham, Area 9 Public Well being Emergency Response Coordinator (PHERC) Heather Gagliano and PHERC Thomas Jordan (retired).

Dr. Lagarde and her EP workers introduced awards to Area 9 LANG troops in addition to Brig. Generals Bossetta and Haygood in recognition of their service through the COVID-19 pandemic. “I used to be impressed by how rapidly we have been capable of progress together with the calls for; it took a village and a staff to have the ability to try this, and I couldn’t have requested for higher management from all of you,” Dr. Lagarde mentioned.

Since Could 2020, LANG has performed or supported greater than 40,000 COVID-19 assessments, administered greater than 17,000 vaccines within the 5 parishes and supported meals financial institution operations. LANG additionally accomplished greater than 700 Scorching Shot missions, which permit for speedy response to a number of pressing wants statewide together with shifting provides and tools.