Next month, almost 300 healthcare professionals and support staff will be providing free services across the territory during the 2024 USVI Wellness Fair.
During Monday’s Government House press briefing, territorial epidemiologist Tai Hunte-Cesar announced that the Department of Health, the Office of the Governor, and the Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training Program had come together to provide healthcare screenings and services at no cost to the public.
This is the team’s second mission to the territory. “Last August, the IRT program deployed a 20-man medical team to provide pediatric physicals and vaccinations at our MCH clinics,” Dr. Hunte-Cesar recalled. That visit led to almost 800 procedures provided to 349 Virgin Islands children, she noted.
This year, from June 1st through the 9th, Virgin Islanders will be able to access free dental services including routine exams, cleanings, fillings and extractions, as well as optometry services including routine and emergency eye exams, retinal evaluations, school vision screenings and prescription eyeglasses. Medical screenings for blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol will be available, as will be mental wellness checks and pediatric services including physicals and vaccinations.
“This mission is part of the IRT program, which started in 1992,” explained Air Force Major Miu Zhang, officer in charge of this year’s mission. “As a department Defense Initiative, it provides real world training opportunities for our service members, while serving many communities across America.” Major Zhang described the exercise as a “win-win,” noting that military personnel will gain valuable deployment experience, while the community receives much-needed medical services.
While the services will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis, Dr. Hunte-Cesar notes that twenty 8:00 a.m. slots would be dedicated each day to the elderly and those with disabilities. Registration, which while not required is highly recommended, will open on May 20 through an online portal.
Screenings and services for adults will be provided at the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School gymnasium on St. Thomas, and the Educational Complex school gymnasium on St. Croix. Pediatric services, however, will be delivered at the Department of Health maternal and child health clinics.
The fair will run from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays, and 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. On the final Sunday, June 9, organizers will dedicate from 9 a.m. to noon to “connecting individuals to more care and services within the territory,” Dr. Hunte-Cesar said.
