After an absence of three years, the Help Jamaica Medical Mission, a New Jersey-based organization, is set to return to Jamaica from September 6 to 14. This time, the mission will reach seven communities in Kingston, St. Thomas, and St. Catherine.
Dr. Robert Clarke, who is from Jamaica, is the Founder and President of the Help Jamaica Medical Mission. He shared that the organization has been conducting missions to Jamaica since 2010 and has provided medical assistance to approximately 462,000 patients over the past decade.
Dr. Clarke, along with the assistance of Dr. Rudolph Willis, founded the Help Jamaica Medical Mission with the aim of providing healthcare services to Jamaicans in need.
He emphasized that the team comprises volunteer specialist doctors and nurses from the Tri-State areas of New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.
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Medical Screenings
During the upcoming visit, the medical and health personnel will offer screenings for various conditions, including diabetes, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), sickle cell disease, certain cancers, prostate diseases, mental health issues, and different types of heart diseases.
Dr. Clarke expressed the mission’s achievements during their annual Black and White Elegant Boat Ride held on the ‘Cornucopia Majesty’ in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, on June 24.
He stated, “We have been saving lives, making people see again and become healthier because of our yearly medical mission to Jamaica.”
Impact and fundraising
He highlighted that the mission has been dedicated to providing free, high-quality healthcare services to those in desperate need, having served thousands of Jamaicans over the years.
Dr. Clarke, who previously served as the President of the National Association of Jamaican and Supportive Organizations (NAJASO), estimated that the New Jersey Medical Mission has invested between US$1-3 million in delivering medical services to underserved communities in Jamaica.
The recent boat ride fundraiser on June 24 successfully raised over US$77,000, which will contribute to the upcoming medical mission in September.
Dr. Clarke serves as the medical director at Silver Lake Hospital in Newark, New Jersey.
Additionally, he holds the position of physician adviser at three other hospitals in New Jersey and serves as an attending physician at two nursing homes in the state. He also operates a private medical practice at East Orange Medical.
