Hanoverians get boost from ‘Triple Focus’ health fair

WESTERN BUREAU:

“I got a Pap smear done after four years!”

Those were the words of Alexia Beck during a health fair at the Pondside Primary and Infant School in Hanover las Friday afternoon. Beck, a resident of Lucea, said she had travelled to the rural Hanover community to access free and convenient health services.

The initiative was spearheaded by the school in partnership with the Hanover Health Department. The health fair was dubbed ‘Triple Focus’, as it incorporated the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ Know Your Numbers Campaign, National School Moves Day, and Vaccination Week in the Americas.

More than 85 residents, across all age groups, turned up to the Pondside Primary and Infant School to access free medical check-ups, HIV and syphilis testing, immunisation, Pap smear and dental services.

Beck, while speaking to The Gleaner during Friday’s event, shared that she took advantage of all the services offered as they were “well appreciated”.

“It was good. I got HIV testing and I got all the services here, except the dental, because they are not doing cleaning for adults, only for the children.”

Violet Samuels, an elderly resident of Retrieve, pointed out that it is through these community initiatives that some residents can access healthcare because of financial constraints.

“This is very good because there are things that we cannot get done and we are getting it done today. There are things that I got done today that I don’t have the money to do, like blood tests and Pap smear,” Samuels said.

While thanking the health department for their role in the hosting of Friday’s event, Samuels shared that she was hoping to access the services of an ophthalmologist. The health team has promised to assist her in the coming days.

“The most important one that I wanted to do was an eye check-up, but there is no eye doctor here, so they referred me to Cornwall Regional Hospital. I have been going to Cornwall Regional for a very long time and I have not gotten through yet, but I am not giving up. They also took my name and information here, so I will get some help,” Samuels told The Gleaner.

The elderly woman added, “I am glad for the work they are doing here. It helps the needy and the unfortunate who need the services. I really appreciate it.”

In the meantime, Lavaughn Bowers, cluster guidance counsellor at Pondside Primary and Infant School, explained that the initiative was born out of a need to bring health services to the “deep rural community”.

While pointing out that there are no doctors at the nearby Great Valley Health Centre, Bowers shared that residents are forced to choose between Lucea and Hopewell to access free healthcare.

This, she further stated, leaves residents of the farming community at a disadvantage.

“There are different challenges here as it relates to transportation, and a lot of the residents here are not financially stable to go all the way to the doctor and come back home. This is why we at the Pondside Primary and Infant saw it fit that we host a health fair to service the community.”

Bowers also noted that her students and those attending the neighbouring Merlene Ottey High School were a focus of the initiative.

“There are students who are not fully vaccinated, and they can get vaccines today.”

For her part, health promotion and education officer at the Hanover Health Department, Jannette Burke, told The Gleaner that her team is always ready and willing to bring their services into communities across the parish.

“The principal reached out to us, as we like to engage communities, especially deep rural communities like this. Great Valley has the closest health centre, but a doctor does not go there. So each person would have to either go to Hopewell, Cascade or Sandy Bay. So, we like to bring our services to the communities,” Burke said.

She shared that these events are very important to the health promotion and education team at the Hanover Health Department.

“It is very important. When you look at their faces, you see the joy and you can see them rushing to get the services. Even when we do events like these, they will ask when we are coming back again. So we know that there is a need, and that is why we continue to collaborate with schools and other NGOs in the community.”

rochelle.clayton@gleanerjm.com