It's time to celebrate! Our very own adorable mascot is three years old.
You're all invited to her birthday party! But she couldn't hold her excitement and wanted to share her three wishes with you... and you just might be able to make them come true!
Tracker's three birthday wishes:
1. More trips to the dog park (uhm... mom, you see this one?)
2. A juicy bone... or two. (Okay, okay, this one is for mom as well...)
3. Vaccine accessibility for ALL: pup, cats, and people galore! Now this last one, everyone can definitely help make come true!
ImmunizeVA is hard at work with its Coalition members to increase vaccine accessibility, but its a collaborative effort that we all can play a part in. And it starts with knowing the facts!
Back in 2021, Dr. Ahmadu Yakubu, senior adviser in health, UNICEF Programme Division, spoke about ways vaccine accessibility can be increased globally:
Raise awareness of the importance of immunization to save lives and protect public health.
Advocate for governments, donors, partners, communities, and caregivers to prioritize immunization and to mobilize resources, whether through funding, policy, etc.
Invest in vaccination campaigns and programs aimed to handle the logistics, supplies, communication, advocacy and other activities.
Restoring or establishing services so communities can safely deliver routine immunization programs.
Teach health workers how to communicate effectively with caregivers to explain the importance of vaccinations.
Rectify coverage and immunity gaps, including identifying communities and people who are disproportionately impacted by health disparities.
Implement national or regional plans to prevent and respond to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases and strengthen immunization systems.
It's quite a list, but I promise YOU can make a difference! It starts with educating yourself and passing on the knowledge and awareness to others. Know the facts and be ready to dispel any myths or rumors your family, friend, or community may hear. Pay attention to your officials running for office and their platform on the healthcare system and immunization. Everything makes a difference and has a rippling effect!
Source:
Campbell, Molly. Making Vaccines Accessible to All: A Conversation With UNICEF. (2021). Biopharma from Technology Networks. https://www.technologynetworks.com/biopharma/articles/making-vaccines-accessible-to-all-a-conversation-with-unicef-353813
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