Scores attend free health clinic on North Side today

Scores attend free health clinic on North Side today

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

For more than a month, April Elferdaousy has dealt with a nagging eye infection, but more nagging is a lack of health care coverage that has discouraged her from having the problem treated.

“If you don’t have insurance, you let it go,” said Elferdaousy, a first-year kindergarten teacher with the Islamic Society of Greater Youngstown.

Today, though, she saw her way clearer, thanks to having taken advantage of a free one-day health clinic at One Health Ohio’s Youngstown Community Health Center, 726 Wick Ave. on the North Side.

Partnering with the clinic for the five-hour gathering was Cleveland-based MedWorks Inc., which provided physical exams, HIV testing, dental screenings, blood-pressure, glucose and cholesterol tests, and flu shots to people who are uninsured or underinsured.

Also available was a social worker who helped the clients get connected to resources to help them better navigate through the health care system and schedule follow-up appointments with One Health Ohio’s Youngstown, Warren and Alliance offices, noted Mary T. Amjad, MedWorks’ director of development and marketing.

Saturday also marked MedWorks’ first visit to the Mahoning Valley. Most of the nonprofit agency’s patients live in Cuyahoga County, Amjad explained.

An estimated 161 patients made appointments for Saturday’s offerings, she said, adding that walk-ins also were handled.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.