Sr. Teresa Finnegan, RSM
and the Mobile Health Clinic

The dream of a mobile health clinic to serve people in under served areas of Georgetown and surrounding villages became a reality in 1996 when Sister Teresa Finnegan,RSM, organized the Mercy Hospital Mobile Health Clinic in collaboration with The Rotary Club of Georgetown and The Bel Air Lions Club of Guyana.

The Pastors and Parishioners of the Holy Spirit, St. Pius X and Meadow Bank Roman Catholic Churches also assist with the operations of the Mobile Health Clinic.
 

Clinic Caravan and 
Ford Explorer Tow Vehicle

THE PROJECT
The project is sponsored by the Dallas, Pa. Sisters of Mercy and its purpose is twofold;

• To provide basic health care services via a mobile clinic to a segment of the economically poor, and medically under served population in and around Georgetown, Guyana, with special emphasis on the poor elderly, and women and children.

• To provide prevention and development services primarily targeted at the same population by means of health education programs, self-help schemes, preventative health care clinics and other prevention/development dimensions according to assessed needs.

The Rotary Club of Georgetown, Guyana and the Bel Air Lions Club give an annual donation to the Clinic and these funds are used to defray cost incurred in the general operation of the Clinic e.g. Maintenance of the Clinic caravan and Ford Explorer tow vehicle.
 

Rotary and Lions Club Members 
Present Annual Donation Cheque

Our Mobile Health Clinic has been in operation since September 18, 1996.  The Clinic continues to provide care without cost to those adults and children who meet the criteria of very low income in the locations served by the Clinic.  Between 1996 and 2000 the Clinic served two areas -North Ruimveldt and Sophia.  In 2001, clinic operations were expanded to include to two other needy areas in Guyana –the Albouystown/La Penitence/Laing Avenue communities and the Alexander Village/Meadow Bank/East Bank communities.

The Clinic is not an emergency clinic.  It does not provide an extended or post-natal care.  The Clinic does not provide the well-infant services normally procured through the Ministry of Health of Guyana. 

Our Mobile Clinic provides primary health services to the sick and needy.  Clinic visits are followed-up as appropriate so continuity of care is realized.

St. Joseph Mercy Hospital’s Community Outreach Program, of which the Mobile Health Clinic is Phase I, was designed to reach out within the parameters of our limited human and financial resources to the medically needy in our community who are also economically poor.  The Clinic is an important means by which St. Joseph Mercy Hospital

Clinic Caravan Interior

 and the Sisters of Mercy extend the Mission of the hospital into the community to provide health care services to needy persons regardless of age, gender, ethnic origin or religious belief.

In April 1999, Phase II began operations with seminars and educational programs on topics that were common in the clinic.  Since these educational programmes began, patients are more aware of their conditions and treatments.  They are better able to manage their conditions by making follow up visits on a regular basis, especially patients with diabetes and hypertension.  The educational programme and lectures are conducted before the arrival of doctors and other members of the Mobile team.