By: Edwin Martinez

Buffalo, NY – The nonprofit JC Seneca Foundation hosted a pop-up vaccination clinic at the Native American Community Services Building on Grant Street in Buffalo Saturday.

The foundation’s founder says that clinic was the result of a new partnership with Dr. Raul Vazquez of G-Health Enterprises/Urban Family Practice, meant to bring much-need health and medical services to tribal territories across Western New York.

Dr. Raul Vazquez obtained the vaccine does and arranged the five-hour clinic with Micheal Martin, director of Native American Community Services and Seneca Nation businessman J.C. Seneca, who owns the Tallchief Territory Native Pride Travel Plaza in Irving.

The pop-up clinic had enough doses to vaccinate 350 people, said Dr Vazquez.

Doctors say Native Americans are among the minority community members most severely impacted by COVID-19, but are the fewest vaccinated against the virus.

A recent analysis conducted by the CDC found COVID-19 cases among the Native population was 3.5 times higher than whites.

G-Health says it will be taking a mobile medical unit to reservations across Erie, Chautauqua, and Cattaraugus counties where there is a lack of available health care options.

The group also plans to hold more pop-up vaccinations whenever it receives future doses.