WHILE most schools had very little activity last month, the Linstead, St Catherine-based Dinthill Technical High School transformed its auditorium into a bustling health centre that provided free medical, dental, and vision screenings for more than 2,000 students and adults.

Organised by Dinthill Technical High School Past Students USA, with major support from CB Chicken, Chase Fund, Countyline Chiropractic Medical and Rehab Centers, George and Diane’s Helping Hands, and alumnus Dr Errol Bryce, the back-to-school medical mission was conceptualised in 2016 when a group of past students living in Florida recognised the need to help parents offset the cost of physicals, which is a requirement to return to school in September.

Throughout the years the volunteers have focused on schools from Linstead and the surrounding communities to include Dinthill, Enid Bennett, McGrath, Charlemont, St Catherine High and Guy’s Hill High, but this year the mission crossed over into the Corporate Area to welcome students from The Queens School, Calabar, and Ardenne high schools, who heard about the mission and decided to participate.

While addressing the increased interest in the mission, medical director and Dinthill alumnus Dr Cyrus McCalla said he was happy the team was able to see all who registered.

“Our goal has always been to provide exceptional health care for everyone who shows up for the mission. In previous years we would wrap up by 5:00 pm but on the Thursday night of August 17, the team remained on site to see the last patient at 8:43 pm. We are here to help, and I am happy that the community gets to benefit from the services that we are providing,” said Dr McCalla.

Added Mission Coordinator Margaret Watt-Walker: “All grade-seven students, regardless of school, got a complete medical to include dental and vision exams — since that is a requirement to return to school — and the other students got a medical and, if needed, they were referred to the team of dental and vision practitioners who were on hand to provide the necessary screenings.”

For Watt-Walker the increased number of participants was a key indicator that the services she and her team continue to provide on an annual basis are needed. She, however, expressed concerns that many of the nursing professionals who are non-Jamaicans were hit with increased licensing fees that were more than 65 per cent of what they paid last year.

“This is not how you encourage people who are giving up time from their careers and family to help the youth of the country. Something needs to be done as most of my 55 volunteers are not from Jamaica, and our goal is to get them to return to help,” she said.

For the recipients of the medical services and their parents the overall sentiment expressed was that of gratitude for the medical services as well as the free meal and drink provided for participants.

Mary Brown, guardian of a child who was seen by the medical team, said, “This medical would have cost me $7,500 so this is a great initiative. I want them to keep coming back.”

President of Dinthill Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Amoy Levers, who participated as a volunteer at the event, expressed appreciation on behalf of the parents.

“We thank the past students and the volunteers for continuing to give of themselves in such a selfless way. As parents we are very appreciative of the tremendous work that they continue to do. Personally, I lift my hat to them,” she said.

After two full days of service — August 17 and 18 — the volunteers left Dinthill with a promise to start planning for the next medical mission.