Maverley Health Fair eases back-to-school burden for parents
IT’S AUGUST, when many parents are busy preparing their children for the new school year in September, purchasing books and instruments; uniforms, shoes and bags, and, of course, honouring school fee obligations.
For some, seeing the doctor to get a medical report completed, along with a dentist and optician, are part and parcel of the backto-school preparation activities. However, with the high cost to see doctors in private practice, for those persons who must depend only on the public healthcare system, accessing health services for back-to-school purposes is not as easy.
“I tell you say it’s always hard, you know,” Craig Brown says, as he points across the street from Maverley Park in St Andrew in the direction of Drewsland, a community which has had its fair share of gang conflict with cliques in Maverley.
“Over Drewsland (health centre) them (his children) always do it, but true war over there, so me cyaa get fi go. Sometimes me have to try go way down to Duhaney Park because of the war sometimes, so me really feel good that me can just come right here so.”
Brown was referring to the eighth staging of the Maverley Health Fair, organised and staged by the Rotary Club of Trafalgar New Heights with support from the notfor-profit group, Voices for Jamaica, where he had taken his three children – all under the age of 10 – to get their medicals completed by voluntary doctors.
They also had their teeth cleaned by a team of six voluntary dentists and hygienists organised by former Dean of the College of Oral Health Sciences at the University of Technology, Dr Irving Mckenzie; and the children’s eyes examined by a team from the FISH Clinic. In addition, residents could also access blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar testing and general health information from the National Health Fund, which was also on location with its mobile unit.
“It take a whole lot off of me,” the relieved Brown, a construction worker, said. “When you at Duhaney Park you spend hours, man, because you going down there go see thousands of people.”
For Kadian Reid and her four girls, the fact that the health fair is hosted annually on a Saturday makes it even more meaningful, as she can find the time to take her children to see the doctor. The cost also makes a huge difference.
“It’s not that it’s difficult [to access health services], it’s the money or the time. When you go to other places, you looking at about $4,000 or $5,000 (per child). So when you keep it here a year time, I very much appreciate it. The people them in the community like the idea, because you can pay basically a donation and you get all these services done in the same place,” Reid commended the organisers.
Patrons contribute $100 per service, although persons are not denied if they don’t have the money.