The Overseas Medical Assistance Team (OMAT) is set to conduct its annual medical mission to Linden from June 30 to July 6, 2014.
Over the years, OMAT has been conducting its medical outreach to Linden in collaboration with the Linden Fund, USA. However, the mission this year will be done in collaboration with the Women Of Mission International (WOMI).
The visiting team includes medical doctors and surgeons from the USA, who will be supported by overseas nurses, and support staff, as well as nurses and other medical personnel attached to the Linden Hospital Complex.
The medical mission is led by Dr. Stephen Carryl, who was born in Linden and attended both primary and secondary school in that town before migrating to the United States of America to pursue studies in the medical field.
He is currently Chairman of Surgery at the Wyckoff Heights Hospital Center in Brooklyn, New York and President of OMAT.
Complementing the team this year will be OB/GYN specialist Dr. Faunda Campbell who will be providing services mainly to women with hysterectomies and other female-related issues; Dr. Ellen Browne Mitchell an Ophthalmologist will be performing eye examinations and surgeries. Other team members are Rose Gonsalves, MD – ER, Donna Constantine, NP – surgery, Lynette Kowlessar, BSN – Paediatrics, Christina Antoine, MD – Resident, Auxillary Personnel- JoAnne Carryl, Leigha Carryl, Samella Carryl, Rosemarie Williams, Khala Allen and Mission coordinator Linda Felix-Johnson.
The medical mission services are administered free of cost to hundreds of patients each year. In addition to these services, the mission will also facilitate a series of educational fora for medical professionals and community members; a Community Health Fair; and a National Woman’s conference.
The schedule of activities for the visit comprises: daily medical treatment and surgeries at the Mackenzie Hospital Com-plex; Health Fair and Lecture for the public at the LEN building on July 3, 2014 to educate the attendees on conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, HIV/AIDS, prostate, breast and cervical cancers; an all-day Women’s Conference themed, “Knowing Your Value” on July 4, at the Egbert Benjamin Center on Republic Avenue, Linden; a Secondary School outreach at the Wisburg Secondary School on July 2; and a Community Health Walk A Thon on July 6, 2014.
According to an OMAT press release, over the years, its team of health professionals has worked around the clock during the visits to provide hundreds of critical surgeries and procedures to the people of Linden.
The press release further states that the 2014 team is very excited to provide these much needed services and it is hoped that residents of Linden and Region 10 would seize the opportunity to receive free and expert medical treatment, complementing the existing services offered at the local hospital and health centres.
The OMAT team is encouraging local and visiting medical professionals to join the team as volunteers to provide services to the people of Region 10 on an annual basis.
