CONGRESSMAN GENE GREEN’S IMMUNIZATION DAY

Aug 26, 2015 North Channel Star Community, Front Page 0

GREEN partnered with a number of organizations to achieve this large immunization, including these members of the North Shore and Galena Park/Jacinto City Rotary Clubs.
CONGRESSMAN GREEN confers with some of the Healthcare Providers that helped administer immunization shots, to the hundreds of children pictured in the background of the Galena Park High School gymnasium.
CONGRESSMAN GREEN confers with some of the Healthcare Providers that helped administer immunization shots, to the hundreds of children pictured in the background of the Galena Park High School gymnasium.

Over 1,800 vaccines administered to students

GALENA PARK – The halls of the high school were lined with hundreds of students ready to receive their annual immunization shots, and to receive backpacks and school supplies donated by Rotary District 5890, with the help of two local Rotary Clubs.

In an expansion of his annual drive, Green had arranged to administer these shots in three locations this year, Aldine, Galena Park, and the AAMA Learning Center on the Gulf Freeway. All of these areas are in Green’s Congressional District, Texas 29th.

Rep. Gene Green’s 20th Annual Immunization Days served over 2,500 participants this year, with qualified volunteers delivering more than 1,800 vaccines.

“By hosting this event over two days and three locations, we were able to serve more people than last year,” Green said. “We had over 2,500 attendees, and more than 900 children received the vaccines they needed, free of charge.”

Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put out an analysis of how many children’s lives have been saved by immunizations between 1994 and 2013. The CDC estimated that among the 78.6 million children born during that period, vaccines prevented 322 million illnesses, 21 million hospitalizations, and 732,000 premature deaths.

“Vaccines save lives, and they are the best investment we can make for public health, and for our children’s future,” Green said. “Since 1996, our office has hosted Immunization Day and thousands of children have received free vaccines. Through events like this and a coordinated effort on the city and county level, the immunization rate in Harris County has increased from 64 percent for school-aged children in 2002 to 76 percent today. We have to continue to make them more widely accessible, as well as easier to access and track.”

GREEN partnered with a number of organizations to achieve this large immunization, including these members of the North Shore and Galena Park/Jacinto City Rotary Clubs.
GREEN partnered with a number of organizations to achieve this large immunization, including these members of the North Shore and Galena Park/Jacinto City Rotary Clubs.

Immunization Day was held in partnership with Aldine ISD, Galena Park ISD, AAMA Learning Center, Harris Health System, Aldine Community Health Center, Texas Children’s Hospital, Vecino Health Centers, Saint Hope Foundation, Texas Children’s Health Plan, LyondellBasell, Rotary International District 5890, Texas Medical Association Foundation, Walgreens, Sea Smiles Dental, Lone Star College Nursing Program, University of Houston and Texas Southern University Pharmacy Programs, and San Jacinto College Nursing School.