Rows and rows of seats faced a panel of state legislators Saturday, but they were mostly filled with the Arizona Rural Health Policy Assembly programs instead of people.

A handful of area health leaders turned out for the only health event to be held in this area for more than a decade.

State Sen. Amanda Aguirre (D-24) organized the three-hour program held at Mohave Community College, which featured local, regional and state health officials presenting quick information on the current medical challenges facing rural areas.

The program also allowed for a question and answer session as well as a public comment period for residents to voice their concerns about any health care problem they face.

Presenters mentioned challenges to recruiting physicians to the area and then enticing them to stay; long transportation times for picking up or dropping off vaccines or laboratory specimens; confidentially concerns in small towns; budgets cut for sliding fee scales; and lack of certain medical services in the immediate area.

“We need your voices,” Aguirre said. “This is … so important that we hear your voices and the message gets to the legislature for health care for rural Arizona.”

Aguirre said comments would be taken to the Arizona Rural and Public Health Policy Forum in Phoenix on Jan. 12 where they will be presented to other legislators to start discussions on changes.

Anyone who was unable to attend Saturday’s event can still submit written comments until Dec. 28. Comments can be about any health challenge faced in rural Arizona.

Comments can be e-mailed to Alison Hughes at ahughes@u.arizona.edu or by mailing them to: Alison Hughes, Rural Health Office, The University of Arizona Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, P.O. Box 245177, Tucson, AZ 85724.

You may contact the reporter at jleatherman@havasunews.com