Tulsa County awarded $500,000 from its share of American Rescue Plan pandemic relief funds to the Muscogee Nation's monoclonal antibody infusion center in Tulsa, which health officials say is playing a significant role in keeping Green Country COVID-19 patients out of area hospitals.
"Speaking with the president of one of the local hospitals, they said that from the time that we started this infusion center" in September, Muscogee Nation Health Secretary Shawn Terry said at a ceremony on Wednesday, "their daily inpatient census in their hospital went from about 20 a day to seven a day within one week of us opening this infusion center."
"So we're doing great things," Terry said, noting the center had performed more than 800 procedures of the therapy, which has been shown to prevent the need for future hospitalization in roughly 85% of COVID patients who receive it early enough in their infection.
Terry told reporters an official with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said during a site visit that the infusion center, housed in the Tribe's Council Oak Comprehensive Healthcare facility in the former Cancer Treatment Centers of America hospital, is likely the largest in the country.
Muscogee Nation Principal Chief David Hill said the Tribe's health care partnerships with Tulsa County have been fruitful for Tribal citizens and non-citizens alike.
"You know, the pandemic, the COVID-19, does not see color, does not see what — you're Native or non-Native," Hill said. "But we feel it's our responsibility to take that — what can we do to protect everyone?"
Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith said the Board of County Commissioners received a recommendation from Tulsa Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart that they fund the center with their $126.5 million allocation from the Biden administration's ARP.
"I am so pleased that the county is able to support it, because I believe this will save those who otherwise might end up suffering in hospitals, or succumbing to COVID without these infusions," Keith said.
"This facility is a long-term solution and a key tool in our arsenal in this ongoing fight," Keith said.
Keith added: "I can't help but remind — and everybody knows I'm going to do this — remind those of you who are not vaccinated to please talk with a trusted medical doctor. It is not okay that we continue to lose lives every week in Tulsa County. Last week it was 29 souls, the vast majority, over 90%, unvaccinated. Those are unnecessary deaths."
The Tribe purchased the hospital, located near East 81st Street and South Mingo Road in Tulsa on the Muscogee Nation Reservation, following the CTCA's closure in June.
More information on eligibility and scheduling treatment is available at the Muscogee Nation Department of Health website.
