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Hispanic communities often face health disparities because of inequalities based on ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geography. During Hispanic Heritage Month, we are proud to recognize the diverse backgrounds and cultures of our Hispanic community partners and to highlight the contributions they make to address issues in their communities.

Francisco G. Meza Agüero is the Public Health Resource and Strategic National Stockpile Support Officer in the Public Health Planning & Emergency Preparedness Division at the Niagara County Department of Health. He played a pivotal role in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in Niagara County by helping to set up various vaccination locations that were accessible to county residents.

Francisco believes the pandemic shed a light on health disparities facing the Hispanic community. “Issues such as language barriers and lack of transportation have limited health equity for Hispanics,” he said. “We can address these issues by providing interpretation services, preparing education materials in other languages with an appropriate reading level for comprehension, and ensuring that individuals have reliable transportation to clinics and medical centers, or bringing mobile clinics to rural neighborhoods.”

Through Francisco’s work in Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response, he focuses on health equity and social justice to address disparities that disproportionately impact minorities, adding “During our COVID-19 mass vaccination clinics, we had interpretation services for patients with limited English proficiency. We also collaborated with farm owners to provide vaccinations for their employees, most of whom are migrant and seasonal farmworkers.”

Francisco personally provides interpretation services for Spanish-speaking patients and nursing staff during their continued COVID-19 and influenza vaccination clinics. “Being Hispanic and able to communicate with those who speak Spanish has allowed me to build trust and relationships within my community.”  

Francisco G. Meza Agüero, MS is the Public Health Resource and Strategic National Stockpile Support Officer for Niagara County Department of Health (NCDOH) Planning and Emergency Preparedness Division. He attained a Master of Science in Forest Resources-Watershed Stewardship from the Pennsylvania State University and attended Iowa State University for further graduate studies in Water Resources. His certifications include: Foundations of Public Health (University at Albany School of Public Health/Empire State Public Health Training Center), Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED (American Red Cross), Advanced and Basic Disaster Life Support (National Disaster Life Support Foundation, Inc.), Bleeding Control Basic (Hartford Consensus/The Committee on Trauma/American College of Surgeons), Mental Health First Aid (National Council for Behavioral Health), Psychological First Aid Instructor (NYS Office of Mental Health/Department of Health), Emergency Management Inclusive Planning and Active Participation Specialist (Niagara University/NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council), and Points of Dispensing Essentials Trainer (Center for Domestic Preparedness/US Department of Homeland Security).