Iowa's 2019 CDC Childhood Immunization Champion Award

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Childhood Immunization Champion Award is an annual award given jointly by the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) and the CDC to recognize individuals who make a significant contribution toward improving public health through their work in childhood immunization.

Iowa's 2019 CDC Childhood Immunization Champion is Dr. Ashlesha Kaushik, MBBS, MD. Dr. Ashlesha Kaushik has seen the suffering of unvaccinated children due to devastating infections. She has cared for an 18-month old patient who struggled to survive Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) meningitis. Those children inspired her to work with patients and their families so no child suffers from a vaccine-preventable disease.

Dr. Kaushik is Chief of Pediatric Infectious Disease at UnityPoint Health, a pediatrics instructor at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, and a residency Preceptor at the Siouxland Medical Education Foundation Residency Program. She works tirelessly with patients, future physicians, and the community to promote childhood vaccination. She also works with underserved populations in northwestern Iowa to ensure children have received all recommended immunizations. Additionally, Dr. Kaushik frequently appears in the media to promote the importance of influenza vaccine.

Dr. Kaushik participates in the American Academy of Pediatrics Iowa Chapter Committee on Immunizations. In this role, she works to reduce vaccine barriers, encourages adherence to evidence-based vaccine recommendations, and provides high-quality scientific information on immunization. Additionally, Dr. Kaushik advocates for policies to promote universal immunization and discourage unnecessary vaccine exemptions. She has also played a key role in the creation of a parent immunization information network in Iowa.

Dr. Ashlesha Kaushik's dedication to achieving high vaccination rates is why she is Iowa's 2019 CDC Childhood Immunization Champion.

Congratulations Dr. Kaushik!