advertisement

Global vaccines should be a priority

As a Shot at Life Champion, I frequently say or write "vaccines work." I may be advocating with my legislator, tweeting my opinion, or speaking to a local civic organization.

In the midst of the current dialogue surrounding the cause of rise in measles outbreaks here in the U.S., it is easy to lose sight of an equally critical challenge: that of parents in other countries who want to vaccinate their children but do not have access to vaccines.

Around the world, a child dies every 20 seconds from a vaccine-preventable disease. Although these children in other countries are thousands of miles away, the conditions they face can cross our borders with astonishing speed.

We will undoubtedly be talking domestically about approaches to vaccination for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, I encourage you to act on something we can all agree upon: helping children for whom access to a health clinic, wellness check, or cartoon band aids is a luxury. Vaccines provide the simple reassurance of a chance to live.

Because diseases don't need a passport to travel, improving access to vaccines around the world also help children and adults in the United States, particularly those who are immune compromised due to cancer treatment or organ transplant or other medical reason.

I encourage you not to look the other way on this one. World Immunization Week begins April 24 and it is the perfect time to tell Senators Kirk and Durbin that funding for global vaccine programs matter. We all have a stake in the outcome.

Shannan Younger

Naperville

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.