Vaccinate Alaska Coalition
Encyclopedia
The Vaccinate Alaska Coalition is a non-profit organization
established to promote the immunization
of Alaska
n citizens and residents, and the reduction of vaccine
-preventable diseases in Alaska
. It is composed of health care
individuals and organizations, and it directs a series of programs, coalitions, and activities designed to promote immunization.
non-profit, it is sponsored by the Immunization Program of the Section of Epidemiology
of the Division of Public Health
of the State of Alaska, sharing office space and personnel with the program. Full voting membership is open to the public.
, vice-president, treasurer
, and secretary
.
about immunizations to doctors and patients, the coalition provides a resource to physicians and nurses as well as health care organizations for information and concerns about vaccines. The coalition acts as a forum to encourage cooperation between the different members of the public health community in Alaska
and helps coordinate efforts to expand immunization programs throughout the geographically
challenging state.
The most prominent programs of the VAC is the I Did It By 2 campaign
which utilizes the popularity of the Iditarod dog sled race
to promote immunization awareness. The campaign involves providing Iditarod-themed promotional supplies to health care providers and materials to parents of infants to help keep track
of their child's required immunizations
.
The coalition also highlights prominent members of the Alaskan health care community with the annual Excellence in Immunization Award, given to recognize individuals or organizations who have demonstrated commitment to improving the immunization status of Alaska.
The Alaska Immunization Program
The Immunization Action Coalition
Organization
An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.There are a variety of legal types of...
established to promote the immunization
Immunization
Immunization, or immunisation, is the process by which an individual's immune system becomes fortified against an agent ....
of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
n citizens and residents, and the reduction of vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
-preventable diseases in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. It is composed of health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
individuals and organizations, and it directs a series of programs, coalitions, and activities designed to promote immunization.
Background
While the coalition is an apoliticalApolitical
The state or quality of being apolitical can be the apathy and/or the antipathy towards all political affiliations. Being apolitical can also refer to situations in which people take an unbiased position in regard to political matters.-References:...
non-profit, it is sponsored by the Immunization Program of the Section of Epidemiology
Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study of health-event, health-characteristic, or health-determinant patterns in a population. It is the cornerstone method of public health research, and helps inform policy decisions and evidence-based medicine by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive...
of the Division of Public Health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
of the State of Alaska, sharing office space and personnel with the program. Full voting membership is open to the public.
Organization
Each individual member and each organization affiliated with the coalition has one vote, which can be exercised at quarterly general assembly meetings. The coalition is managed by a coordinator, with an executive board composed of a presidentPresident
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, vice-president, treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
, and secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
.
Programs
The coalition focuses on publicizing and promoting immunizations. In addition to providing literatureLiterature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
about immunizations to doctors and patients, the coalition provides a resource to physicians and nurses as well as health care organizations for information and concerns about vaccines. The coalition acts as a forum to encourage cooperation between the different members of the public health community in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and helps coordinate efforts to expand immunization programs throughout the geographically
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
challenging state.
The most prominent programs of the VAC is the I Did It By 2 campaign
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
which utilizes the popularity of the Iditarod dog sled race
Dogsled racing
Sled dog racing is a winter dog sport most popular in the Arctic regions of the United States, Canada, Russia, and some European countries. It involves the timed competition of teams of sleddogs that pull a sled with the dog driver or musher standing on the runners...
to promote immunization awareness. The campaign involves providing Iditarod-themed promotional supplies to health care providers and materials to parents of infants to help keep track
Vaccination schedule
A vaccination schedule is a series of vaccinations, including the timing of all doses, which may be either recommended or compulsory, depending on the country of residence....
of their child's required immunizations
Vaccination policy
Vaccination policy refers to the health policy a government adopts in relation to vaccination. Vaccinations are voluntary in some countries and mandatory in some countries as part of the public health system...
.
The coalition also highlights prominent members of the Alaskan health care community with the annual Excellence in Immunization Award, given to recognize individuals or organizations who have demonstrated commitment to improving the immunization status of Alaska.
See also
Vaccinate Alaska CoalitionThe Alaska Immunization Program
The Immunization Action Coalition