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Houston Health Department promotes immunizations for National Health Center Week

Half of Texas children eligible for free immunizations do not receive the shots that could protect them

Houston Health Department promotes immunizations for National Health Center Week

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Half of the Texas children eligible for free immunizations do not receive the shots that could protect them from vaccine-preventable diseases, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

That’s why the Houston Health Department (HHD) is promoting no-cost vaccines during this month’s National Health Center Week, which is August 12 to 18.

Four HHD health centers will participate in a special event from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13, to provide free immunizations to patients 18 and younger who are eligible for the Vaccines for Children program. Monday’s event launches the city health department’s local observance of National Health Center Week.

The participating HHD health centers are:

La Nueva Casa de Amigos, 1809 N. Main

Northside Health Center, 8504 Schuller

Sharpstown Health Services, 6201 Bonhomme

Sunnyside Health Center, 4605 Wilmington

Patients 18 and younger may be eligible for immunizations at no cost through the Texas Vaccines for Children program. For more information, call 832-393-5427.

Texas leads the nation in the number of uninsured and underinsured children, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services, a division of Texas Health and Human Services–a Texas Medical Center member institution. Half of the state’s children–more than 3 million young Texans–are covered by Medicaid public health insurance.

“Many of these children are not receiving the complete series of immunizations required to protect them from vaccine-preventable diseases,” according to the state health department.

The Houston Health Department also will host a four-day health fair from Aug. 14 to 17 to provide information on dental services, family planning, the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, tuberculosis and diabetes.

National Public Health Week, an annual celebration directed by the National Association of Community Health Centers and the Health Center Advocacy Network, aims to raise awareness about the missions and accomplishments of health centers in the United States over the last five decades.

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