Sedgwick County considers restoring immunizations for world travel
Sedgwick County commissioners could soon vote on whether to restore a health department program to offer immunizations for residents who travel abroad.
The immunizations program for diseases like yellow and typhoid fever was eliminated in the 2017 budget approved last summer. County officials pointed to the availability of those shots at private clinics at Dillons and Walgreen’s stores.
Commission Chairman Dave Unruh said a vote on restoring the program had been set for Wednesday but was pushed back to the commission’s Feb. 1 meeting.
Between 2011 and 2015, the county provided 5,779 vaccines under the travel immunization program, including yellow fever vaccines, injectable and oral typhoid fever vaccines and a travel immune serum for Hepatitus B. Residents were charged for the immunizations, which are recommended when they head to certain countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Unruh supported eliminating the program last summer. But some of his constituents have told him they’ve had trouble finding a convenient alternative to the health department for some vaccines.
“I’ve been contacted by people who say this is extremely cumbersome … to run all over town for immunizations,” Unruh said.
He said one resident had to go to Reno County to get immunized before a trip to South America.
It’s fully in the responsibility of their services at the health department to provide those (immunizations).
Dave Unruh
Sedgwick County Commission chairman“I think it’s fully in the responsibility of their services at the health department to provide those (vaccines),” Unruh said.
Commissioner Jim Howell asked for the vote to be pushed back to Feb. 1 to have more time to do research.
“I want to do this thoughtfully with data,” Howell said. “I don’t want to rush a decision like this.”
Howell said the program is picking up the costs for people “who are making choices to travel.”
The program is undercutting the private sector, and taxpayers are picking up the tab.
Jim Howell
Sedgwick County commissioner“The health department exists to provide low-cost services to people who don’t have very many health service options,” Howell said. “That’s not the same clientele in this case.
“The program is undercutting the private sector, and taxpayers are picking up the tab,” Howell said.
Daniel Salazar: 316-269-6791, @imdanielsalazar
This story was originally published January 15, 2017 at 4:03 PM with the headline "Sedgwick County considers restoring immunizations for world travel."