Scores of people, including students preparing for back-to-school, received free health services and medications at a health fair staged by the New Jersey-based Help Jamaica Medical Mission in St. Andrew on Friday (Sept. 4).
The event, held at the Barbican Baptist Church, was part of the diaspora organisation’s 2026 medical outreach to the island from September 2 to 13.
Patients were assessed and treated for a broad range of medical conditions including hypertension, diabetes, asthma, heart disease, skin and eye conditions, obesity, arthritis, sleep disorders, seizure disorders, mental health challenges, among others,
President and Founder of Help Jamaica Medical Mission, Dr. Robert Clarke, who is leading the 35-member team of doctors and nurses, told JIS News that the health fairs will take place at seven sites across the parishes of Kingston, St. Catherine, Clarendon, St. Thomas and Mandeville.
In addition to the health screenings, patients will receive six months to a year’s supply of free medication.
Dr. Clarke said that the team is targeting students, who need to do medical tests for back-to-school.
“We chose to come in September and one of the reasons we chose this time was to provide free back-to-school physicals. We understand the challenges that many of these families have…Our aim is to take that burden off that individual especially if they are a single parent. We give them free medicals and physicals,” he said.
Dr. Clarke, who is also Chief Medical Adviser for the Northeast Diaspora in the United States (US), thanked the Ministry of Health and Wellness for accommodating the medical mission, and the local supporters and volunteers.
“The Ministry of Health has always been very supportive in facilitating this mission,” he said.
SOUR
The first health fair took place in Kingston at the Jamaica Evangelistic Centre on Thursday (Sept. 3). The Help Jamaica team was at the Yallahs Primary School in St. Thomas on Saturday (Sept. 5) and is treating patients at the Jamaica Urban Transit Company’s (JUTC) Twickenham Park location in St. Catherine today (Sept. 6).
The medical outreach continues at the Thompson Town Baptist Church in Clarendon on Tuesday (Sept. 8); Moravia Primary School, Clarendon on Wednesday (Sept. 9); Greenvale Community Centre in Mandeville, Manchester on Thursday (Sept.10); and the Heartease New Testament Church of God in Yallahs, St. Thomas on Friday (Sept. 11).
The Help Jamaica team departs the island on September 13.
SOURCE: Rochelle Williams (Jamaica Information Systems)