University opens free community clinic

Persons seeking medical assistance now have another option as the American University of Barbados School of Medicine has opened a free community clinic at its Wildey campus.

The service, which runs on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m, will be serviced by registered general practitioners and nurses and places a heavy emphasis on technology to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.

Speaking to the media yesterday, moments after the ribbon cutting at the clinic, Campus Dean Dr. Syed Kazmi said there is the intention to provide free medication to patients as well.

“We are in the process of getting permission from the government – if they allow us to import the medications from outside – because we want to get it at a better price to give it free to patients,” he revealed.

Kazmi also disclosed plans to provide laboratory and radiology services at the clinic in a phased approach.

“We are also thinking that there are a lot of super specialities where the consultants are not present in Barbados. So we want to have those consultants because in our main institution in India we have those consultants and so they can come here any time. So we are planning to have different camps where those consultants from the United States and the United Kingdom would come here for a week or so, and those specialty patients in need of a facility not present here in Barbados will be seen,” he continued.

He further said that facilities were available to allow doctors here to consult with specialists overseas during a patient’s examination, so that medical advice could be given rapidly.

“All of these things are in our plan and we are going to go forward with that,” he added.

He told the media that the university students would be involved in the clinic, but would not be treating the patients only learning from the experience. (JMB)