Skip to main content

Cornell University

Public Health News

Sustainability. Equity. Engagement.

Cornell MPH students advocate for global childhood immunization Programs on Capitol Hill

MPH students Parshad Mehta, Aaron Connolly, and Kally Wang, and Student Services Assistant Katie Lesser pose in front of the US Capitol Building
From left to right: Parshad Mehta, Aaron Connolly, Katie Lesser, and Kally Wang pose in front of the US Capitol Building (Photo: Katie Lesser)

The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of sustainable and equitable immunization programs worldwide. Despite decades of progress, the pandemic has created major setbacks to existing vaccination programs. This week, three Cornell MPH students took to Capitol Hill to reiterate the importance of childhood vaccination programs around the world.

Second-year students Aaron Connolly, Parshad Mehta, and Kally Wang became involved in the Shot@Life Campaign to advocate for continued US Government funding for global vaccine partners.

Shot@Life is a grassroots advocacy campaign under the United Nations Foundation that champions, supports, and invests in global childhood immunization programs of UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. In 2022, Shot@Life secured over $742 in funding for Shot@Life’s partners around the globe.

At this year’s summit, the students met with Congressional offices representing both New York and Massachusetts to reiterate Shot@Life’s commitment to vaccine-preventable disease programs and to secure continued US Government support for the 2024 fiscal year.

Parshad Mehta, Aaron Connolly, Katie Lesser, and Kally Wang pose in front of a Shot@Life Backdrop
From left to right: Parshad Mehta, Aaron Connolly, Katie Lesser, and Kally Wang (Photo: Katie Lesser)

“I was initially very nervous to speak with elected officials, but all of the offices were very warm and receptive to our asks, so I felt more comfortable in meetings as the day went on,” said Wang. I have been involved in Shot@Life for two years because vaccine equity and global childhood immunizations is an important issue to me. It’s really sad that what is routine for children in the US is seemingly impossible to children in other countries who don’t have the luxuries we do.”

In addition to Hill Day, summit attendees had the opportunity to hear from representatives of Shot@Life’s partners, including Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, and USAID.

“This summit was a fantastic opportunity for both advocating and networking,” said Connolly. “I learned more on important topics like polio, and how close we are to the eradication of this disease. It was enlightening to learn and work with people outside of academia, such as mothers and pediatricians who are care about these issues as much as we do.”

Mehta, an international student from India, has seen firsthand how debilitating these diseases are. “It was pleasantly surprising how the issue of vaccines is bipartisan and how receptive these members of Congress,” said Mehta. “I have seen the impact of Shot@Life’s partners like the Gates Foundation and Gavi on the ground in my home country and being here in DC showed me the importance of doing this advocacy herein the US to impact countries around the world who need help.”

 

Written by Katie Lesser