Free medical event offers health care, hope for Katrina's uninsured
POSTED: January 30, 2007
By Staci Dennis
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Aurlisa, right, arrives at "The 2nd Annual Greater New Orleans Medical Recovery Week" at 5 a.m. to receive a free check up and medication.
Patients enter a triage area where their blood pressure and other vitals are taken before being sent to nearby tents for medical, dental or vision care.
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NEW ORLEANS - Aurlisa didn't mind getting up before the sun peaked over the horizon to wait in line for hours in freezing temperatures. She just wanted to see a doctor.
"It's very hard to find medical services in the city," Aurlisa said. "I'm unemployed and don't have a lot of money so that makes getting care that much harder."
It was 5 a.m. when Aurlisa showed up at the gates at Joe Brown Park in New Orleans East for "The 2nd Annual Greater New Orleans Medical Recovery Week," a week-long medical event offering free health care to local residents still facing an uphill battle since Hurricane Katrina hit a year and a half ago.
The event, held through Feb. 3, is a collaboration between Operation Blessing and Remote Area Medical (RAM), along with International Medical Alliance (IMA), New Orleans Health Department and the LA Department of Health and Hospitals.
"Our healthcare infrastructure is very fragile right now," said Kevin Stephens, director of the New Orleans Health Department. "We are working to figure out a solution to the problem and this event is part of that solution."
More than 400 doctors, dentists and nurses flew in from across the country to volunteer at the event, which saw about 600 patients on Jan. 28 – opening day. Event organizers estimate that more than 10,000 medical services will be provided by the end of the week.
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Rick Trimble, left, who volunteers with RAM as a vision assistant, checks a patient for glaucoma.
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"It's rewarding to see people get the help they need," said Rick Trimble, 62, a retired Security Systems worker who came from Tennessee to volunteer in the vision tent. "Everyone who comes through has a great attitude and that is proof New Orleans has the foundation to keep rebuilding."
Operation Blessing has spent more than $500,000 to help make the event a success; setting up more than 20,000 square feet of tent space outside their existing medical and dental clinics to house additional vision, dental and medical exam rooms.
Other services at the clinic include dental work such as fillings, root canals, cleanings and extractions; eye exams and glasses; medical exams and primary healthcare; OBGYN, diabetic care, pediatrics and cardiology.
Isol, who grew up in New Orleans, lost everything when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005 and flooded her house with 10 feet of water.
"I couldn't go back in and look through everything because it would've been too painful," Aurlisa said. "We just had to start over."
Aurlisa and her husband are living in a trailer on their front lawn while they struggle to get work completed on their home. Even though Aurlisa is unemployed and has no health insurance, she says she finds hope in events such as the Medical Recovery Week.
"It shows people care about the residents in New Orleans," she said, "and they haven't forgotten about us."
Last year's medical week provided more than 9,600 medical services and dispensed an average of 650 prescriptions a day.
In addition to the event, OBI will continue to offer free health care at their medical and dental clinics, having treated more than 15,000 residents and filled approximately 30,000 prescriptions since April 2006.
How You Can Help
Be a part of OBI's ongoing disaster relief efforts by making an
online donation to help those affected by the Gulf Coast hurricanes. For volunteer opportunities click here.
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