“We offer over 35 different programs and services,” Deputy Director Dr. Anita Kurian said. “Our mission is to prevent illness, promote healthy behavior and protect all Bexar County residents against health hazards.”
Mobile vaccination clinics
For families without reliable transportation or insurance, getting vaccinated can be a major challenge, especially when clinics feel distant or difficult to navigate. To help close that gap, Metro Health is bringing care into Bexar County communities through pop-up immunization clinics.
Designed to serve uninsured and underinsured populations, the clinics offer free or low-cost services with no appointment required.
“We never turn folks away [who are] unable to pay for our services or are lacking one of their [vaccination] documents,” Dr. Kurian said.
By setting up in trusted spaces such as churches and schools, the clinics make essential care both more accessible and more welcoming.
The Let’s Get Real campaign
Because vaccination misinformation is a major hurdle, the department launched the Let’s Get Real campaign: an educational initiative that shares facts through videos, infographics and personal stories from Bexar County families.
“We’re hoping [the Let’s Get Real campaign] will help shift the vaccine conversations from a place of fear and confusion to [a place of] confidence and informed actions, ultimately protecting families and our broader community,” Dr. Kurian said.
Digital records for lifelong care
To help families keep track of their immunizations, Metro Health promotes ImmTrac2. The system stores immunization records securely and electronically, making it easier for both families and health care providers to stay on schedule. The registry is especially useful during emergencies, when paper records might be lost, or when families transition between health care providers.
“[ImmTrac2] is extremely valuable for lifelong health planning,” Dr. Kurian said. “Immunization history being retained from childhood all the way through adulthood supports routine preventive care services.”
A public impact routed in a personal mission
For Dr. Kurian, Metro Health’s work is more than just policy and programming; it’s about meaningful change in the county she calls home.
“There is nothing more gratifying than being given an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the community that I live in, and that my children live in,” Dr. Kurian said. “Working at Metro Health provides me the opportunity to make a tangible, community-wide impact to improve the quality of life for everyone in my community, while growing personally and professionally at the same time.”
With mobile access, educational outreach and a people-first approach, Metro Health is redefining what public health looks like in San Antonio—one clinic, one family and one vaccine at a time.
To find vaccine event schedules, request to host a pop-up clinic or access reliable health information, visit www.sa.gov/health and follow the city of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District on social media.
The above story was produced by Multi Platform Journalist Sydney Heller with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
