Hundreds of Children Receive Free Health Care

Hundreds of children from Allman Town and communities in the Cross Roads area of Kingston benefited from a health fair organised by the National Child Month Committee (NCMC).

The Children’s Health and Wellness Fair, held on May 28 at the Douglas Orane Auditorium, Wolmer’s Boys’ School, was the final event for Child Month 2016.

Children received free dental, eye and hearing tests, vaccinations and general health checks from medical practitioners. The children were also treated to face-painting, bounceabout and mechanical bull rides, and refreshment.

Chair of the NCMC, Dr. Pauline Mullings, told JIS News that the fair was in keeping with the Child Month theme: ‘Healthy Children Build a Stronger Nation’.  

Adults, who accompanied the children to the event, also had the opportunity to access free blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) checks from Sagicor, and eye screening from the Lions Club of St. Andrew Central. Health care information was also provided to the children and adults.

Participating agencies included: Early Simulation Programme (ESP); Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR); Road Safety Unit; Early Childhood Commission (ECC); Office of the Children’s Advocate (OCA); Child Development Agency (CDA); National Parent to the Next Generation; Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ); National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC); Carlong Publishers; Diabetes Association of Jamaica; Jamaica Child Evangelism Fellowship and Jamaica Association for the Deaf.

Sponsors of the event included the National Health Fund (NHF), GraceKennedy, KFC, Jamaica Producers, and the Wolmer’s Boys’ School.