I recently read about an innovative initiative on the part of Northern Light Health, the five Area Agencies on Aging, and the AgeWise Maine Initiative to break down barriers for older community members who need vaccines. I was so glad and impressed to hear of the partnership and collaboration that have resulted in breaking down barriers to essential vaccine access for our community members.

It reminded me of the essential role vaccines play in Maine and across the globe. The first week of April was Public Health Week, nearly coinciding with the anniversary of the polio vaccine being declared safe on April 12, 1955. It’s strange to think that relatively recently, polio posed a much more significant threat to the health and safety of our communities. It’s thanks to vaccines that we hardly hear of this debilitating disease any longer.

It also reminded me of the many communities globally who are unable to access the amazing resources provided by organizations like Northern Light. According to UNICEF, over twenty million children globally do not have access to vaccines. While organizations like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, are working to help, we must ensure that this lifesaving service is accessible to our peers worldwide. While questions like global health sometimes feel too large to grasp, funding Gavi is one of the most important actions Americans can take to improve health outcomes for everyone.

 

Natalie Jones

Stockton Springs

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