Ku‘upua Akana, PharmD, BCACP

Dr. Pua Akana is a board-certified ambulatory care pharmacist. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, and later returned to school for her Doctorate in Pharmacy from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo School of Pharmacy. In 2011, she began her career as a clinical pharmacist at Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, where she was responsible for developing and establishing an outpatient anticoagulation clinic. She was recognized by the Hawai‘i Pharmacists Association as Young Distinguished Pharmacist of the Year in both 2012 and 2018. Her passion for serving people, particularly in the underserved Native Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Islander communities, drives her enthusiasm to improve access to medications and health care outcomes.

In 2021, Pua joined Wahiawā Health as the director of pharmacy to establish a clinical pharmacy service that addresses medication adherence in patients with diabetes and hypertension. The early results of this program have been published in the American College of Clinical Pharmacy Journal.

Pua’s grant-writing skills have brought much-needed funding to support COVID vaccination outreach efforts in Wahiawā, Waialua, Mililani and Kunia which has increased equitable vaccine access in these communities. She enjoys spending time at the beach, learning yoga, reading books, spending time with her family and silkie chickens.