ASIA receives grant from NAWHO’s National Asian Immunization Project

Cleveland, Ohio – Asian Services In Action was awarded a grant from The National Asian Women’s Health Organization (NAWHO) to increase vaccination among Asian seniors for pneumococcal disease and influenza in northeastern Ohio.

NAWHO’s National Asian Immunization Project (NAIP) is a groundbreaking cooperative agreement with CDC, which allows for the first comprehensive national outreach effort to Asian American communities about the importance of immunization. Through this project, NAWHO will work with ASIA to reach Asian Americans and their health care providers and eliminate missed opportunities in vaccinations and vaccine education.

Since NAIP’s inception, the project has served over 41,000 Asian Americans, who have accessed immunization information through community forums, health fairs, and other community activities. Another 2.8 million Asian Americans were exposed to immunization information through Asian media. Over 1,700 health care providers were educated about the need to inform Asian American patients about vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly Hepatitis B, pneumococcal disease, and influenza.

“Given the recent concerns over H1N1 and the flu season already upon us, we are extremely pleased to receive this support to assist the most vulnerable among our Asian American population,” said Michael Byun, ASIA Executive Director.

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ASIA, Inc.
Founded in 1995, Asian Services In Action’s mission is to empower Asian American and Pacific Islanders in Northeastern Ohio to access quality, culturally, and linguistically appropriate information and services. ASIA serves over 4,000 people each year. www.asiaohio.org

NAWHO
NAWHO is a national non-profit health organization with a mission to achieve health equity for Asian women and families. Our goals are:
• To raise awareness about the health needs of Asian Americans
through research and education;
• To support Asian Americans as decision-makers through leadership
development and advocacy; and
• To strengthen systems serving Asian Americans through partnerships
and capacity building.
Founded in 1993, NAWHO has served as a powerful voice for the health of Asian American women and families. We have provided research and information about the health of Asian Americans to the public health field, as well as critically-needed health education to the Asian American community. Through innovative programs and groundbreaking partnerships, NAWHO has broken the myth of the Asian American “healthy model minority” – improving breast cancer screening outreach, increasing awareness of diabetes risk, and closing the gaps in immunization coverage. Viewed as a results-oriented organization that is able to create innovative solutions and carry out new strategies for change, policy makers and opinion leaders have time and again recognized NAWHO as an effective leader in Asian American health. www.nawho.org