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During National Infant Immunization Week, we celebrate successful collaborations between federal, state and local partners that have saved millions of lives in the United States through childhood immunization. At the same time, we recognize that there are still children needlessly at risk of suffering from preventable diseases, and we rededicate our efforts to ensure that they can receive recommended vaccines.

Vaccines are one of the most successful tools we have available today to prevent disease and death, reducing the level of most vaccine-preventable diseases by more than 99 percent. Before widespread immunization in this country, infectious disease killed or disabled thousands of children each year. Today, more than 90 percent of children in America have received the most critical doses of recommended vaccines by age two and most U.S. doctors have never treated diseases like polio, rubella or Hib meningitis.

But too many children are still vulnerable to preventable diseases, increasing the risk of outbreaks among at-risk individuals in their surrounding community. More than 900,000 children have not been properly immunized, and 11,000 children are born each day who must be protected.

During National Infant Immunization Week, HHS' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with communities across the nation to build awareness about the importance and availability of childhood immunizations. The success we've enjoyed in increasing immunization rates has been due in very large part to grassroots efforts on the community level, and future success will also be determined by these important partnerships. Also during the week, CDC will launch a national Spanish-language media campaign to inform Hispanic parents of the importance of immunization and increase immunization rates among Hispanic children, who have historically had lower rates of immunization.

In addition, the President's proposed budget for fiscal year 2003 provides $824 million for CDC's Vaccine for Children Program and $631 million for other immunization activities.

Prevention is a driving force behind the work we do at HHS and one of my personal priorities as Secretary. Disease prevention requires good information and education about the right choices that people can make to build healthier, longer, more productive lives. HHS is home to many of the nation's premier researchers and scientists who are providing the best, most current health information possible. Our challenge -- and our commitment -- is to reach the American public with meaningful information on how they can protect their health and the health of their families.

For more information about National Infant Immunization Week, please call the CDC National Immunization Information Hot Line at 1-800-232-2522 (1-800-232-0233 en Espaņol) or visit www.cdc.gov/nip.

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