Office of Border Health

Vaccination Week in the Americas

National Infant Immunization Week and Vaccination Week in the Americas (NIIW/VWA) will be celebrated from April 24-May 1, 2010 with the primary focus of promoting and improving immunizations throughout the nation. For the fifth consecutive year, the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission (BHC) will partner with the ten Border States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to bring additional focus during NIIW/VWA to the United States-Mexico border region.

Immunization of children is among the most successful and cost-effective public health achievements that have led to the reduction and prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases. The celebration of NIIW/VWA is another opportunity to advance our efforts in childhood immunizations and overall community public health.

The New Mexico Immunization Coalition (NMIC) is a statewide public/private partnership committed to improving New Mexico's immunization rates.

The vision of the NMIC is to achieve and sustain full and timely immunization protection for all people in New Mexico.

The goal of the NMIC is to achieve on-time age-appropriate immunization of 90% of all people living in New Mexico by the year 2010.

The NMIC meets three times a year, the NMIC Steering Committee meets monthly, and the five subcommittees meet as needed to move the work of the NMIC forward in its five priority areas: Public Education; Provider Education; Policy and Advocacy; Support for Local Coalitions; and Special Events.

The NMIC is supported by New Mexico's First Lady, Barbara Richardson, Secretary for Health, Michelle Lujan Grisham and the Vice President for UNM's Health Sciences Center, Dr. Phil Eaton.