Release Date: April 29, 2009
Contact: Christine Patmon, Metro Health Public Relations Manager, 207-8638
National Immunization Expert to Address VFC Providers
12th Annual Vaccines for Children Provider Luncheon to feature Dr. Ed Marcuse
Awards and accolades await local Vaccine for Children (VFC) Providers at Metro Health’s 12th Annual Vaccines for Children Provider Luncheon. The celebratory event, held each year by the department’s Immunization Division during National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), is scheduled for Friday, May 1 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the San Antonio Marriott Northwest, 3233 NW Loop 410.
Metro Health will share with the expected crowd of 200 VFC representatives that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) named San Antonio and Bexar County as the most improved city/county nationwide for childhood immunizations. CDC officials recently recognized Metro Health for achieving an 11.3 percentage point increase. The agency also acknowledged Texas as the most improved state. The honors are based on childhood immunization coverage rates of children 19 through 35 months of age from 2004 to 2008.
“San Antonio has a strong childhood immunization program and that is evident by the lack of vaccine-preventable diseases we see here,” said Dr. Fernando Guerra, director of Metro Health. “Our immunization team is one of the finest in the state and we must certainly applaud the VFC providers for their dedication and commitment.”
The luncheon will feature a keynote speech from national immunization expert and associate medical director of Seattle's Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Dr. Ed Marcuse. Dr. Marcuse will present "Lady Montagu, Where Are You? - Reflections on U.S. Immunization Challenges."
Metro Health’s Immunization Division will present awards to VFC providers in categories such as: the hospital with the most per capita birth doses given; achievement of the Healthy People 2010 goals; and the WIC Clinic with the most referrals for immunizations. Educational literature and giveaways also will be provided at a variety of booths staffed by Metro Health and vaccine manufacturers.
The luncheon caps NIIW being observed this year from April 25 through May 2. For the past 15 years, NIIW has served as a call to action for parents, caregivers, and healthcare providers to insure that infants are fully immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, whooping cough and polio. The annual observance also celebrates the achievements of immunization programs and their partners in promoting healthy communities.
For more information, call Vivian Flores at 207-8794 or Clark Petty at
207-2869.
