Higgin Town residents get first free back-to-school medical fair

Residents of Higgin Town in South East St Ann will spend less on back-to-school expenses this year, after councillor for the Claremont division, Kaydian Harty, hosted a free back-to-school medical in the community last Friday.

“This is the first time we’re having something like this,” one parent, Kadeen Davis, told The Gleaner.

Davis took her two sons, Sheldon, 14 and Orane, 12, both students of Ocho Rios High School, to get their medicals as they prepared for the new academic year.

She also used the opportunity to get medical care for herself.

“The has made the community feel wanted. We feel like we now have a representative,” Davis said. She said with the medical out of the way, she can now concentrate of getting other things in place for September.

Other residents expressed similar sentiments.

Nearly 50 residents received health care at the outreach, which was held at the Higgin Town Methodist Church Hall. Students attending schools in St Ann and outside of the parish, from basic to secondary levels, benefited, as did several adults.

“The majority of persons who participated were students but it was open to the public,” said Harty, a first-time councillor.

“We also had the Ministry of Labour here. I know that a lot of persons in the division have always been asking about the PATH programme and so I ensured that there was a representative here to speak about the PATH programme. We also gave away some back-to-school items including knapsacks and stationery,” Harty said.

“The residents were very elated and very grateful because they have said to me that it is the first time that a councillor has put a back-to-school medical in their community, bringing the service to them instead of them having to journey outside of their community to do their medicals. Of course it was all free.”

The North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA) provided a doctor and other medical staff for the occasion, and there was also a volunteer doctor from the St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital.

“My team members volunteered as well and also persons from the community so it was a combined effort and a success,

and I give thanks for that. It was my first back-to-school medical initiative and I am happy to say it was a success,” Harty said.