A week to celebrate public healthcare

Employees of public health centers do a lot of giving, and this week provides an opportunity to let them know they are appreciated.

The Kinston Community Health Center, along with numerous health centers around the country, will be celebrating National Health Center Week this week.  The center has prepared a full spate of activities that will highlight health centers’ role in the health care delivery system. The community can expect to receive a variety of health educational information, free screenings and entertainment. 

“Every year in the second week in August, we come together to recognize the services and contributions of public health centers,” Lenoir County Commissioner George Graham said. “The Kinston health center has been operated for some 15 years, and we are very proud of our center and the services it provides.”

First up this week was the Hope for Equal Access Community Luncheon at the Arts Council with keynote speaker, U.S. Congressman G.K. Butterfield.

Butterfield spoke about national healthcare reform and why he was in favor of such a change.

“Many of us work under the idea that it is a right to have health insurance and access to healthcare in this country — it is not a privilege,” Butterfield said. “This is something that has been talked about for over 50 years, and we are at the point now where it simply could not wait.”

The economy is still struggling, but healthcare reform should work to alleviate some of the $13 trillion deficit while providing for a need, Butterfield said.

“We simply could not afford to do nothing,” Butterfield said. “These reforms will not only increase access but also we are going to contain the costs of healthcare in the future.”

Butterfield quoted the nonpartisan congressional budget office as estimating the reforms enacted will reduce the debts by $143 billon over the next 10 years and by $1.2 trillion in the following decade.

This week also celebrates the importance of community health centers. Public health centers serve over 400,000 patients annually, and at any given time 1.75 million people are uninsured and another 1 million do not have access to primary health care, according to North Carolina Community Health Center Association director of clinical program Marti Wolf.

“I applaud the Kinston Community Health Center for striving to meet a great need in the state,” Wolf said. “Obviously, there is much work to be done, but centers like this one are a step in the right direction.”

Joel Gerber can be reached at 252-559-1076 or jgerber@freedomenc.com.

Breakout Box:

This week’s National Health Center Week schedule

n Wednesday: Health care for the homeless: free eye screenings for all citizens in the Kinston Community Health Center parking lot from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

n Thursday: Second day of free eye screenings, held at the Pink Hill IGA from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Entertainment provided by Latino Folk Dance Group from Pink Hill Elementary.

n Friday: Blood drive at Kinston Community Health Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free sandals and a coupon for a free medium pizza from Pizza Hut provided to anyone who donates.

n Saturday: Cultural Heritage-Community Health Fair; event activities include free health screenings (glucose, cholesterol, bone density and blood pressure), educational booths, a Veterans Administration Mobile Mental Health Van and a second performance by the Latino Folk Dance Group. U.S. Congressman Walter B. Jones will attend the event from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Source: Kinston Community Health Center