District Immunization Efforts Earn Award

04/19/04
Galveston Daily News Editorial  5/26/04

La Marque – The Galveston County Health District received the “Thinking Progressively for Health Award” from the Texas Public Health Association (TPHA) at its meeting held April 18 – 20th in Houston. The award was presented to the District at a reception Sunday evening.

The award is passed each year to an agency or group that the TPHA feels has lived up too the name of the award. The Texas Public Health Association decided to honor the Galveston County Health District because of aggressive strategies being taken in Galveston County to improve immunization rates, and the part the District is playing in those efforts.

Catherine Cooksley, DrPH, President of the Texas Public Health Association says, “The Galveston County Health District is being given this award because of the aggressive strategies being taken in Galveston County to improve immunization rates, and the part the District is playing in those efforts. I believe the Galveston County Health District is deserving of this award.”

Nationally communities work to achieve a goal of having 90% of all children properly immunized. Random survey data suggest that immunization coverage among children in Galveston falls below this goal. With innovative outreach techniques implemented by the District there has been steady improvement in local immunization rates.

In January of this year the Galveston County Health District implemented a new Strategic Health Plan that includes as a priority immunizing children and adults to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. This long term plan will strive to establish the District as the lead organization for local planning to improve immunization rates in Galveston County. The District hopes to achieve these goals by working collaboratively with public, private, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations and volunteers. Those interested can view the entire plan at www.gchd.org.

In an effort to adequately immunize more adults a Senior Health Coordinator was hired at the District in 2003. An activity of the coordinator has been the planning of senior targeted vaccination campaigns against influenza and pneumoccal pneumonia. This program has increased access to senior vaccinations by partnering with other community organizations which have contributed facilities and resources.

Additionally the Galveston County Health District is also in the early stages of developing a volunteer program which will identify, train, and coordinate volunteers that can be utilized during immunization efforts. This program is being funded with a generous grant from the Mainland Communities United Way.

Supporting the “medical home model” of immunization delivery is another reason the District was selected to receive the award from the Texas Public Health Association. Use of this model by the District promotes the delivery of immunizations within ones medical home and encourages clinical preventative healthcare.

“Immunizing children and adults is what we do as a community to assure healthy families and neighbors,” says Dr. Mark Guidry, Health Authority for the District. “Making sure one is properly immunized is a shared responsibility. Developing common goals to maximize the number of people immunized in Galveston County is something health partners can do together to assure the health and safety of everyone in our community. We thank the Texas Public Health Association for recognizing the efforts we have made and will make in the future to reduce vaccine preventable diseases.”

The Texas Public Health Association is a non-profit organization of public health professionals established in 1923 and is an affiliate member of the American Public Health Association.

For More Information Contact:
Kurt Koopmann
Public Information Officer
Galveston County Health District
(409) 938-2211
kkoopman@gchd.org