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Diaspora Serving: Help Jamaica Medical Mission Returns to Jamaica September 6-14

Written by Derrick Scott

Diaspora Serving: Help Jamaica Medical Mission Returns to Jamaica September 6-14

Derrick Scott

Derrick Scott

After an absence of three years, the New Jersey based Help Jamaica Medical Mission (HJMM), is scheduled to return to Jamaica from the 6th to the 14th of September and will serve some seven communities in Kingston, St. Thomas, and St. Catherine.

Dr. Robert Clarke

Founder and President of the Help Jamaica Medical Mission Dr. Robert Clarke said the organization which has been traveling to Jamaica since 2010 and has attended to some 46 thousand patients over the ten-year period.

HJMM Team on Mission in Jamaica

Dr. Clarke said his team, which consists of volunteer specialist doctors and nurses from the New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut Tri-State area, will be providing physical exams, health screening for illnesses such as STD’s, diabetes, diseases of the prostate, HTN, sickle cell, some forms of cancer, mental health issues such as depression bipolar disorder, and for various types of heart diseases.

Waiting room during HJMM  Jamaica mission

Dr. Clarke, who is Jamaican born, is the medical director at the Newark, New Jersey-based Silver Lake Hospital, and physician advisor at three other New Jersey-based hospitals, as well as attending physician at two nursing homes in New Jersey. He also has a private medical practice in East Orange Medical in New Jersey.

HJMM providing patient care in Jamaica

In giving an overview of the mission’s performance at its annual Black and White Elegant Boat Ride aboard the ‘Cornucopia Majesty’ in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, on June 24th, Dr. Clarke said, “We have been saving lives, making people see again and become healthier because of our yearly medical mission to Jamaica.”

HJMM providing patient care in Jamaica

He pointed out that the missions have been providing free, quality healthcare services to those in dire need of these services and over the period has served thousands of Jamaicans.

He said the team of doctors, nurses and medical practitioners make the trip each year to deliver their services free of cost, treating persons with eye disease, heart problems, diabetes, hyper-tension, and other illnesses.

HJMM preparing medication on mission

Dr. Clarke who is also the immediate past president of the National Association of Jamaican and Supportive Organizations, NAJASO, estimates that over the period the New Jersey-based Help Jamaica Medical Mission has spent some US 1-3 million dollars in providing medical services to the underserved in Jamaica.

Dr. Clarke welcomes passengers onboard cruise (Derrick Scott photo)

He said from its recent boat ride fundraiser on June 24, just over US$77 thousand was raised which will go towards the medical mission to Jamaica in September.

The organization’s health mission to Jamaica started after former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller met with the team while on a visit to the USA and she invited them to come to Jamaica to provide their services. The team has since been traveling to Jamaica and providing health services.

The Help Jamaica Medical Mission was founded by Dr. Robert Clarke with the assistance of Dr Rudolph Willis who came together to provide healthcare services to needy Jamaicans.

(c) The Ward Post

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Derrick Scott

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