From Saturday, February 8, until Thursday, February 20, our team of 54 had a wonderful time serving the people of Jamaica in Manchester and we appreciate the opportunity to be there. Our team consisted of 3 physicians, 3 nurse practitioners, 1 physician assistant, 3 dentists, 2 dental hygienists, 2 pharmacists, 6 registered nurses, and 34 general helpers. About 2/3 of the participants had been on a team before and 1/3 were new. We stayed at Kendal Camp and Conference Center, and were transported each day to different areas of the parish by Mr. Patrick MacDowell and his staff from Obsession Tours.
This year, we held medical clinics in 17 different locations in the parish, and dental clinics in 12 locations. In the medical clinics, we saw 961 patients and dispensed 3,187 prescriptions. In the dental clinics, 447 patients were seen with 390 extractions and 204 cleanings done.
In addition to the medical and dental clinics, our construction team installed 29 drip irrigation systems for subsistence farmers, in partnership with Joseph and Alice Mulaa from Family Life Equipping Network (which is based in Mandeville); Pastor Kenroy Blackwood from Rose Hill; and Isratech Jamaica, Inc. We also installed gutters and downspouts on a roof at Gift of Hope in Spur Tree to enable them to harvest water into their cistern, and we fixed a drainage problem in the schoolyard of a Catholic school in Williamsfield. Members of Nazareth Lutheran Church, Cedar Falls, IA, Fremont Presbyterian Church in Sacramento, CA, and Fleetwood Rotary Club, Fleetwood, PA, again contributed over $37,000 to the construction project.
As in years past, we appreciate so much the cooperation of the Ministry of Health staff in making all this possible. We were graciously assisted by MOH staff with getting our medications through customs, and that process was quite smooth. Special thanks go to Mrs. Anderson for her help.
