Publish date: 26 February 2024
In a joint effort to improve community health, teams from across the health network came together to support the local Somali community in Southall, Ealing.
More than 500 people descended on the Darussalam Masjid and Cultural Centre on Friday 16 February for a pre-Ramadan health event.
In light of the low vaccination uptake, the event provided a great opportunity for representatives from the West London Healthy Lifestyles service and the NWL Roving Vaccination team to speak face to face with the Somali community.
Attendees were given more information about the MMR vaccine, which is essential for protecting against measles, meanwhile, healthcare staff were raising awareness around the flu vaccine.
Outside of the conversations around vaccinations, the teams also provided complimentary health consultations, facilitating a total of105 MECC (Making Every Contact Count) conversations.
Notable interventions included Diabetes Blood Glucose Tests, Blood Pressure Checks and BMI Calculations.
The event highlighted the power of collaboration among the various teams, including the West London Vaccination and Health Lifestyles Team, NHS England Vaccine & Health Equity Team, NWL Roving Vaccination Team, NWL ICB, and Ealing Council.
The collective vision involves hosting similar events across London to address vaccine hesitancy and bolster uptake for national vaccines such as MMR, Flu, and Covid.