April 06, 2021
PrimaryOne Health condemns acts of racism against Asian Communities and Continues efforts to mitigate the impact of Racism as a Public Health Crisis
Columbus, Ohio – PrimaryOne Health condemns all acts of discrimination and xenophobia against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). We stand as an ally and are committed to ongoing efforts to mitigate racism and increase cultural humility at our health centers.
Hate crimes directed toward Asian Americans are not new, but they have skyrocketed in the past year, fueled in part by racist comments from the former administration and allies, who have gone out of their way to falsely and maliciously make the Asian American communities the scapegoat for the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a report from Stop AAPI Hate, Asian American women in particular reported hate incidents 2.3 times more than men, and they cited businesses as the primary site of discrimination (35.4 percent), followed by public streets (25.3 percent) and public parks (9.8 percent).
Individuals are urged to get the facts about coronavirus from official public health agencies, and ignore unfounded rumors and online forums that harbor and spread hateful and false fears that fan the flames of racism. “Racism directed at Asian Americans because of unfounded COVID-19-related fears is wrong and has to end,” said PrimaryOne Health Chief Executive Officer, Charleta B. Tavares. The organization’s Board adopted a resolution in March 2021 to condemn racism and acts of violence against the AAPI communities which dovetailed on the resolution adopted in June 2020 that declared Racism as a Public Health Crisis, continued Tavares.
In operation since 1997, PrimaryOne Health provides comprehensive physical, mental health and substance use disorder services to insured, and UN/underinsured residents throughout Franklin and Pickaway Counties. The organization operates twelve (12) health center locations and is the oldest and largest Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Central Ohio.
Working to provide access to services to improve the health status of families, PrimaryOne Health offers comprehensive primary care, OB-GYN, pediatric, vision, dental, behavioral health, nutrition, pharmacy, physical therapy and specialty care services to over 48,000 patients. PrimaryOne Health is a proud member of the Ohio Association of Community Health Centers (OACHC) and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). For more information about PrimaryOne Health and its programs, go to www.primaryonehealth.org.