St. Andrew East Rural Residents Get Free Medical Checks
By: , March 29, 2022
Photo: Adrian Walker
Member of Parliament of St. Andrew East Rural, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness (third left), places a comforting hand on the shoulder of resident of Kintyre District, Maxine Campbell, while speaking to General Physician, Dr. Ram Shetty (left). The occasion was a medical camp staged by the Indian High Commission on March 27 at the St. Martin de Porres Primary School in the constituency. Looking on are Managing Director, appliance manufacturing company, BlackPoint, Gul Mansukhani (second left); and High Commissioner of India to Jamaica, His Excellency Rungsung Masakui.The Full Story
Residents of several communities in St. Andrew East Rural benefited from free health services at a medical camp staged by the Indian High Commission at the St. Martin de Porres Primary School on Sunday (March 27).
Services offered include filling of prescriptions, general health checks, dental and eye examinations, and supply of glasses frames.
Cosmetology services were also provided, such as hairdressing, manicure and pedicure, and toys were distributed to children.
Volunteers consisted of 15 doctors from the Indian community, 10 nurses, five pharmacists, and others who rendered their services.
High Commissioner of India to Jamaica, His Excellency Rungsung Masakui, told JIS News that the initiative, which started about a year and a half ago, will be ongoing and will be taken to other parts of the island where persons are in need of these critical services.
“It is a sustained effort, and we have decided to continue,” he informed, noting the medical camps will be held bimonthly.
“We target those locations, or the people, where [they] have some difficulty [accessing] medical facilities in some capacity… . We bring everything to their doorstep,” he pointed out.
Member of Parliament for the area, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, said the initiative is welcomed and hailed the goodwill of the High Commission of India and its partners in offering the valuable health services.
She said that the prescription-filling service was especially important, noting that some persons have been provided with up to three months’ supply of medication.
“We are very grateful to the Indian High Commission, BlackPoint and all the doctors and nurses who have volunteered their services,” she said.
Six Indian pharmaceutical companies donated $2 million worth of medicines, which were distributed to the patients free of cost. Donors include Indies Pharma, Glenmark, Indus, MSN and IPCA.
The medical camp involved partnership with the Juliet Holness Foundation and appliance manufacturer, BlackPoint.