March 15, 2004
Immunization Program Meets IHS Target
by Deborah Burnard, RN, Immunization Coordinator
The YKHC Immunization Program is pleased to announce that we have met the Indian Health Service goal of increasing our childhood immunization rates by 1 percent per quarter. Due to the tremendous work by our health aides, hospital- based staff and Public Health Nursing, the combined childhood immunization rate for Bethel and YK villages increased steadily from 68 percent in January 2003 to 75 percent in January 2004.
One of our focuses this year is to educate parents in the importance of administering the second and third doses of vaccines on time, to protect our youngest children from vaccine-preventable diseases at the time when they are most vulnerable to them. To spotlight the importance of routine childhood immunization, we are sponsoring a "Drawings on the Delta" contest for National Immunization Week. All 4th graders in the YK Delta are encouraged to submit their drawings for the theme "Vaccination: An Act of Love" by the April 16th deadline. All the drawings submitted will be on display in the YKHC hospital lobby during National Immunization Week April 25-May 1.
We need to remember that immunizations are not just for children. Adults are encouraged to receive a Tetanus/Diphtheria booster every ten years, and elders 55 and older are encouraged to receive yearly influenza vaccines and a booster to protect against pneumococcal disease every six years (Pneumovax®). We are pleased to have participated with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) in the development of the first culturally relevant elder vaccine brochure. This brochure will shortly be available in a Yup'ik version in addition to our English language version, thanks to the YKHC Community Relations translators.
Our department would like to publicly thank all of those who work so hard to provide immunization services to the population in our service area. Every immunization provided means that one more person is protected from a vaccine- preventable disease, and each person protected helps maintain the health and wellness of our communities.