Free health care

Locals can now receive free healthcare at the American University of Barbados (AUB) Medical Clinic.

The free medical clinic, located on the AUB Wildey, St Michael campus was officially opened on Friday by Acting Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Senator Lucille Moe, chief executive officer of the AUB Afzal Mehdi and campus dean Syed Kazmi.

The medical clinic incorporates technology features such as patient kiosks for patients to input their medical history for doctors prior to a consultation.

Campus Dean, Syed Kazmi revealed that the opening of the free clinic was the first phase of the University’s objective to offer free healthcare to citizens. He disclosed that the AUB also sought to offer free medicine to patients, and the institution was awaiting permission from the Government on the importation of medications.

He announced plans for the AUB to establish a Lab Screen Centre and Radiology Department. Kazmi also revealed that the AUB  clinic will be integrating technology in the medical process by offering online consultations with their specialized practitioners. He also shared that students will receive clinical training at the facility. The  Medical Clinic will be opened Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“One of the learning objectives going forward is for students to have professionalism and communication skills and our students are going to be involved in the clinic. They are not going to treat the patient but they are going to see from the physician who is here,” Kazmi explained.

Acting Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Senator Lucille Moe, during her feature address, said that the clinic was a welcomed addition to the medical services offered on the island.

“We do have medical institutions here but we never have enough. You always want to make things a bit easier for your citizens to be able to avail themselves of a service.”

Moe also lauded the accredited high-tech medical institution for its high standards and encouraged other institutions to follow.

“In recent times we have seen more and more institutions wanting to come here and AUB is an example of an institution that got properly accredited and registered to offer a quality education. We hope that all institutions that want to come here and are here will also take notice of what has been done by this institution and try to emulate it,” said the Minister. (KK)