Health department seeks expansion of vaccine program
By Sue Loughlin, The Tribune-Star, Terre Haute, Ind. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
The program assists children who are uninsured, underinsured or qualify for
This year, the health department is taking steps so that it can also offer vaccinations to children covered by private insurance, which could greatly increase the numbers served. It will be able to bill private insurance.
The initiative is part of an effort to ensure children are up-to-date with their vaccinations, particularly by the time they start school.
The nursing division has worked hard to carry this out, said
And, starting this fall, there are two new vaccination requirements for students:
--Children entering kindergarten must have two doses of Hepatitis A vaccine.
--High school seniors must have a meningococcal vaccine booster dose.
In some cases, family physicians are not providing vaccinations, said
Lucas chairs a community task force formed in
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The health department's 2013 annual report, required by law, also shows health department clinic nurses investigated and reported 515 confirmed communicable disease cases. "Chronic hepatitis C continued to be the most prevalent communicable disease investigated by the VCHD in 2013," the report says.
Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus, which is found in the blood of infected people. Some who get it never fully recover and may carry the virus the rest of their lives. Some people become very ill and some have liver failure.
Those who do testing for the disease in
For the first nine months of 2013, the department investigated 83 cases.
The disease can be spread through IV drug use, unprotected sex or even by getting tattoos through unlicensed artists.
The annual report contains other information and statistics for 2013:
--Last year, there were 2,320 births, 1,173 in wedlock and 1,147 out of wedlock.
--There were 16 stillbirths.
--The department reported 1,412 deaths.
--There were 4,559 client visits to the
--Also in 2013, the department managed fewer than five active tuberculosis cases, fewer than five suspect cases and 40 latent TB cases. It also provided 1,239 TB skin tests.
-- The department collected 5,800 discarded tires, filling five semi-trailers from
The department responded to several public health complaints, including 24 surface sewage complaints, 13 trash and garbage complaints, 18 bed bug complaints and 17 mold complaints.
Childhood lead poisoning continues to be a public health concern in
One of the challenges faced by the department is lack of funding, an issue shared by other health departments throughout
The department has three nurses to serve a county with a population of more than 100,000 people, Keller said.
A few years ago, the department had six full-time nurses and one part-time.
The community would benefit if the health department could devote a nurse full-time to doing lead case management on the clinical side, Wise said, ensuring children get proper medical care, nutrition and any other resources that might be needed.
She praised the efforts of the three nurses on staff.
The annual report is available for public viewing online at www.vigocounty.in.gov, or in the
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