Health Dept. Says Child Immunizations Top Priority
Associated Press
SANTA FE — The state Department of Health says it plans to make more nurses available to provide shots at clinics with low immunization rates as part of an effort to boost the rates statewide.
''Immunizations is one of our biggest priorities and we will not be satisfied with our rates until all of our children are fully protected from vaccine-preventable diseases,'' said Health Secretary Michelle Lujan Grisham.
The state requires children to be immunized against certain diseases if they are in a child care facility and when they went school, unless parents get a waiver that must be renewed each year.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 78.4 percent of New Mexico children ages 19 to 35 months were immunized in 2005. That's a 5 percent decrease from the percentage of children immunized statewide in 2004, the agency said.
Lewis Anderson, project officer for the CDC's immunization services division said the decrease is not statistically significant, and the agency has been pleased with New Mexico's progress.
In 2001, the percentage of New Mexico children immunized was 63.2. In 2002, it was 64.6, and in 2003, the percentage was 75.2.
The state Health Department also plans to expand incentive programs to encourage those who participate in them to get children immunized and make sure they are up to date on their shots.
The department distributes ''health passports'' to new parents, letting them know when shots are needed. It also partners with medical organizations to educate providers about how to overcome barriers that keep immunization records from being up to date.
Earlier this year, the Health and Human Services departments unveiled an immunization registry designed to help doctors track patients' records and improve state immunization rates.
Doctor's offices, hospitals, clinics and schools eventually will be able to click on an Internet site and look up which vaccines a child has had from birth to age 18.
Medical providers are expected to add an estimated 1 million shot records into the system each year, state officials have said.
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