Free LA clinic serves thousands

From Thursday, Oct. 20 to Sunday, Oct. 23, the Los Angeles Sports Arena in Exposition Park opened its doors to more than 5,000 needy citizens, serving as the location of one of L.A.’s largest free clinics.

Organized by the LA-based CareNow, an international relief agency, the clinic treated thousands of people who needed help but did not have insurance. A number of nursing students and others from organizations such as Planned Parenthood and the American Diabetes Association worked with about 800 volunteer doctors, dentists, optometrists and other professionals to ensure proper care was given to every patient.

Many of the patients had not seen a doctor in years, thanks to a lack of sick days or inaccessibility to proper care. With an estimated two million-plus uninsured people living in Los Angeles County, this event is a step in the right direction in terms of public health care.

“It is a cry for help because if we can’t come here, where are we going to go?” Stephanie Fletcher, who had a tooth pulled at the clinic, told Southern California Public Radio. “We need this event here. We need these volunteers. We need these doctors. Because there are a lot of one-income households, and if that person is not healthy and strong, what are the children going to do?”

Many of the low-income citizens of Los Angeles County were directly impacted by the Medi-Cal budget cuts of a few years ago, which caused the company to stop covering dental and vision care. However, the CareNow clinic had a number of dentists and optometrists available for any possible malady.

“As you know, tooth decay and other things, if we don’t take care of that now, it can lead to more severe problems that can affect us later on,” said Fletcher.

The CareNow clinic also arranged for many of its patients to receive follow-up care with local clinics, which will ensure that they receive the ongoing care they require.