Scores of Families in St. Ann Benefit From Back-to-School Medical Initiative

Psychosocial Officer from the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), Marvalyn Palmer (second right), addresses parents and children during the North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA) back-to-school medical clinic at the Moneague Health Centre in St. Ann on July 15. Listening is NCDA’s Harm Reduction Officer, Leandra Wilmot (right). (Photo by Okoye Henry)

Scores of families benefited from the Moneague leg of the back-to-school medical initiative on July 15, as the North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA) continued its summer outreach across the parish of St. Ann.

The clinic, held at the Moneague Health Centre, forms part of a wider series of health missions being rolled out in communities throughout the parish, aimed at easing the annual scramble parents face to get their children examined ahead of the new school year.

Parish Manager for the St. Ann Health Department, Nadia Nunes-Hyde, said parents and guardians were able to access general medical examinations, while children also received dental screenings.

“Many parents seek opportunities where they can do their back-to-school medicals for their children. On special days at designated health centres, we assign additional doctors and nurses to support parents, while also providing dental screening,” Mrs. Nunes-Hyde told JIS News.

The Moneague clinic followed a similar outreach in Brown's Town the week before, with more stops planned in the coming weeks, including Ocho Rios.

Mrs. Nunes-Hyde pointed out that the health department is also partnering with Fern Court High School on a back-to-school initiative that will provide medicals for students there as well.

“We have had overwhelming support for this initiative. In Brown's Town, we realised we had to organise a second day because many families attended, and one parent may have as many as five children needing medicals. We are prepared to extend our service where necessary to ensure everyone is accommodated,” Mrs. Nunes-Hyde explained.

She added that depending on the site, the outreach draws support from a range of partners, including the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), the Social Development Commission (SDC) and others.

In the meantime, she has encouraged residents to treat their local health centres as a routine part of their healthcare and not simply a stop for school forms.

Mrs. Nunes-Hyde said parents still hoping to get their children's back-to-school medicals done are urged to keep an eye on NERHA's social media pages for updates on upcoming dates and locations.

“We publish the dates where we will be, and you will be able to get service done, and we will serve you,” she added.

By Okoye Henry