A group of healthcare professionals from the Welches Polyclinic on Monday, 28th March, observed Community Outreach Day with a health fair on the Island Harbour basketball court. The event was conducted under the guidance of the clinic’s Centre Manager, Nurse Fay Thomas-Astaphan, and Dr. Timarah Hodge.
Residents of the Island Harbour and Welches communities – and visitors to the area – were welcomed to join the group of healthcare providers to receive free medical services. The services offered included blood pressure and blood sugar checks, Covid testing, HIV testing, foot care assessment, written prescriptions, reproductive counselling, antenatal counselling, and nutritional counselling. They also provided free social welfare counselling through the services of a representative from the Department of Social Development. And, by the way, a bush-tea stand was also available.
Dr. Hodge spoke to The Anguillian about the initiative: “Today, we are featuring free medical services to the public,” she said. “This is a special initiative called Community Outreach Day, and it is the first of its kind that has been organized and offered by clinics in Anguilla.
“Our Health District spans from Little Dix to East End and encompasses all of the villages in between. This is our first Community Outreach Day. We realise that healthcare has become costly for some of our clients, and therefore we want to contribute to our Health District by offering at least one day of free health services.
“Today, we are freely treating the residents of our Health District and, while we do so, we want to make them aware of the services that we generally offer at the Welches Polyclinic. Apart from what we are freely offering here today, our polyclinic services cover a wide range, including pediatrics, obstetrics, genecology, internal medicine, daily dressings, antenatal clinic, baby clinic, child health, etc.”
Dr. Hodge said that they intend to have another such fair later this year – and going forward two fairs will be scheduled for each year.
