The Vanderbilt Mobile Vaccine Program, a joint venture between Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has reached thousands of Tennesseans from a diverse range of backgrounds by providing in-community access to life-saving COVID-19 vaccines. One of the biggest barriers to healthcare in Tennessee is lack of access. Vanderbilt’s Mobile Vaccine Program strives to break down this barrier by building strong community partnerships with organizations and community leaders who work closely with historically minoritized and marginalized populations in Nashville and surrounding counties. Among several other community partner collaborations, the program more recently collaborated with the Elmahaba Center in Nashville to host community vaccine “pop-up clinics” and various door-to-door activities to reach populations with limited vaccine accessibility. The Elmahaba Center’s mission is to strengthen communities, prioritizing Arabic-speaking communities, through collective care, cultural awareness, and knowledge towards liberation and social justice. The work of Elmahaba Center aligns with the values of Vanderbilt’s Mobile Vaccine Program – seeking out and providing care to communities, families, and individuals who have historically been marginalized and may not have access to these types of healthcare services. Dr. Carrie Plummer, Co-Founder of the Mobile Vaccine Program, reflects on the collaboration and adds, “As nurses, we recognize the importance of having these trusted and familiar voices [from Elmahaba] incorporated into the healthcare team.” To date, the program has administered over 7,400 individual vaccinations. To read more about the program, check out this article.
