Free Elkview health clinic to open this fall in reponse to June flood

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Victims impacted by the June 23rd flood will have a chance to get checked out during a free two day health clinic this fall.

The clinic will be open October 22-23 at Elkview Middle School in Kanawha County — one of the most flood-stricken areas in the state. Services include medical, vision and dental.

WV Health Right is hosting the event in partnership with Remote Area Medical (RAM) and four West Virginia legislators.

House Speaker Tim Armstead (R-Kanawha, 40), Delegate Chris Stansbury (R-Kanawha, 35), Senator Chris Walters (R-Putnam, 08) and Senator Tom Takubo (R-Kanawha, 17) will serve as “community host group leaders” for the clinic.

Stansbury, an optometrist, and Takubo, a pulmonary physician, will see patients during the clinic.

“I’m looking forward to being able to provide not only the organizational skills to get other optometrists and techs and ophthalmologists to come and volunteer, but I’m also excited to provide services myself — to get in there and do examinations for these folks,” Stansbury said during a Wednesday press conference at the WV Health Right building in Charleston.

WV Health Right CEO Angie Settle made the announcement of the clinic where she called it “the largest free medical clinic in the history of West Virginia.”

The clinic will be on a first-come, first-serve basis, Settle said, so patients should plan ahead.

“You cannot make an appointment,” she said. “Our doors will be open to those people, so it’s not a one-stop shop and then send you out on your way. If there’s a problem, it will be identified and we will make sure that they get follow up.”

There will be an x-ray unit on site for pulmonary care, Walters said.

“After cleaning out houses, breathing in the mold spores, they want to check people’s lungs and they want to do that service for free so that they can get a thorough evaluation of their current medical condition,” he said. “If anything does arise, we’ll have units on scene to be able to take them to a next step to get even more care.”

Walters called the free clinic “an amazing opportunity” that will bring in more than $1 million worth of donated medical care to West Virginia.

Volunteers are needed. Walters said they need physicians as well as community members.

“Come out and help us,” he said. “We’re going to need individuals to come out, serve food, cook to be in the community at Elkview Middle School to be able to sign people up. We’re going to need a very large volunteer base.”

Settle said the more volunteers they have, the more patients they have serve.

To sign up, go to www.ramusa.org/volunteer or call (865)-579-1530.

The school parking lot will open at midnight on Oct. 22. The first patients will be seen at 6 a.m.





More News

News
As Yeager Airport's Wildlife Patrol Dog turns 7, a new dog comes in to learn from him
The new Border Collie is getting acclimated and receiving training for his soon-to-be role.
March 28, 2024 - 6:30 pm
News
Dunlow Volunteer Fire Department closes
The Dunlow VFD did not have a valid workers compensation insurance policy.
March 28, 2024 - 6:20 pm
News
PEIA examines financial effects of new law meant to ensure local pharmacies get fair reimbursements
Gov. Jim Justice signed Senate Bill 453 into law this week.
March 28, 2024 - 4:11 pm
News
Barbour County woman sentenced after death case sent back to circuit court by Supreme Court
Carli Reed sentenced on voluntary manslaughter conviction.
March 28, 2024 - 4:11 pm