35-member medical mission to land in island September 2

A 35-member medical mission comprising doctors, nurses and other medical practitioners from the Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut is set to arrive in Jamaica on Wednesday.

Led by Dr Robert Clarke, the medical mission will be in the island until September 13 and will visit communities across seven parishes, including Kingston, Manchester, St Catherine, Clarendon and St Thomas.

The medical team is slated to visit St Thomas twice, Clarendon twice and the other parishes once each.

The mission will also draw support from local Jamaican entities, including the Jamaica Urban Transit Company, which is to provide transportation for members of the team, the Ministry of Health and Wellness and The Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

Clarke, chief medical adviser for the Northeast Diaspora, said the health mission is under the auspices of Help Jamaica Medical Mission, which has been carrying out healthcare missions in Jamaica since 2010.

Clarke pointed out that the organisation has conducted missions and provided medical assistance to approximately 750,000 patients over the years.

He, with the assistance of Dr Rudolph Willis, founded the Help Jamaica Medical Mission with the aim of providing healthcare services to Jamaicans in need.

Clarke said the mission is dedicated to providing free, high-quality healthcare services to those in desperate need.

At the same time, the mission will visit some schools to provide back-to-school screenings, as well as medical screenings for members of staff at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, where the team will be headquartered during its stay.

Clarke emphasised that the team comprises volunteer specialist doctors and nurses.

Health personnel on the mission will screen patients for diabetes, high blood pressure, infectious diseases, gynaecological issues and other medical concerns.

“We will go to the people to provide medical assistance instead of their having to travel many miles to see us. We find that visiting local communities ensures that more people will receive service instead of their having to come to where we are in one central location,” he told The Gleaner.

Clarke, who previously served as president of the National Association of Jamaican and Supportive Organizations, estimated that the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut medical mission has invested more than US$2-3 million in delivering medical services to underserved communities in the island.

A recent boat ride fundraiser and a backyard barbecue successfully raised more than US$77,000, which will help fund the upcoming medical mission.

Clarke serves as the medical director at Silver Lake Hospital in Newark, New Jersey. Additionally, he holds the position of physician adviser at three other hospitals in New Jersey and serves as an attending physician at two nursing homes in the state. He also operates a private medical practice at East Orange Medical.

editorial@gleanerjm.com