York Town clinic operates, but there are many challenges.
THE YORK Town clinic, located in southwest Clarendon, amid the bordering communities of Four Path, Osborne Store and Gimmi-me-Bit, is faced with many challenges.
It is one of the 100 primary healthcare facilities which the Ministry of Health would like to transform under its Adopt-a-Clinic Programme launched two years ago.
Nurse Sheffaneese Knight is hoping there will be support from Jamaica or its diaspora and that it, too, will be adopted. Knight, who spends her working hours between Milk River, York Town and Race Course clinics, said that in spite of its many shortcomings, staffers give 100 per cent in service to ensure the needs of the patients are met.
York Town Health Centre is a type-one health facility which mainly offers maternal and child health services. These include antenatal, postnatal and family planning services, as well as the complete assessment and immunisation of children up to six years, and older children as necessary.
SERVICES OFFERED
Other services such as simple dressings, blood pressure and blood sugar checks are also offered. The vector control team for the parish is also based at the health centre. There is no curative service at the clinic, and so patients must make the trek to the already overcrowded May Pen Health Centre.
COMMUNITIES SERVED
Among the communities that the clinic caters to are Rhymesbury and Gravel Hill, but often it sees residents from Havanna Heights and Foga Road who opt to be served at the centre.
Knight, who is the visiting public health nurse whose base is at Milk River, gives support to the registered midwife who is based at the facility. With her hours divided, the clinic service is offered every other week, although its doors are opened every day to the public for minor service.
During the days, staff at the clinic also do home visits in the community, checking up on patients, including children, young mothers, persons with chronic diseases – basically assessing the welfare of the community on a whole.