Residents Benefit from GAiN Jamaica Conference Free Health Fair in Montego Bay

Dr. Michael Cousins attends to a resident of the Lilliput community during the GAiN Jamaica free health fair at the Lilliput Community and Resource Center in Montego Bay, Jamaica, July 7, 2019. Photo by Nigel Coke

July 11, 2019 | Montego Bay, Jamaica | Lawrie Henry/IAD News Staff

More than 120 residents of the Lilliput Community were treated to a free health fair on July 7, 2019. The fair was organized by the Seventh-day Adventist Church through its Global Adventist Internet Network (GAiN) Conference and held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, July 4-6, 2019.

The health impact was a collaborative effort with the WJC Transforming Lives Foundation Ltd., Three Angels Mobile Clinic and the Lilliput Seventh-day Adventist Church, as a way to give back to the community, organizers said.

“Many of the residents were not able to come to the conference, but we know there are health challenges all around,” said Nigel Coke, communication director for the church in Jamaica and main organizer of the GAiN event. It was important to impact the community on the importance of keeping healthy and embracing a healthy lifestyle said Coke. “Everyone wants to be healthy and a healthy lifestyle is very important to Seventh-day Adventists,” he said.

Services included ophthalmology, pediatric and dental care, eye testing, cholesterol and blood pressure checks, body mass index checks and healthy lifestyle education.

A section of the crowd waits to be seen by the medical team during the GAiN Jamaica free health fair at the Lilliput Community and Resource Center. Photo by Nigel Coke

Five doctors, one counselor, twelve medical missionaries and several nurses and support staff were present to deliver health care and counseling.

One of the first patients to be treated was Joan Campbell who needed help for pain.

“I prefer to come here [than other health facilities]. You don’t have as much crowd and you don’t have to wait long. The service is good; Dr. Gilbert is nice,” she said.

Other patients felt that the initiative is a great thing for the community because it gives people easy access to much needed healthcare.

Mark Nembhard, church elder at the Lilliput Adventist Church and medical missionary, said the fair is another in a series of health outreach programs that have been carried out by the church in the West Jamaica Conference since April of this year. Nembhard said persons have seen improvement in their health after visiting the fairs.

Members of the HEART College of Hospitality Services demonstrate their skills in cooking as they taught members of the public how to prepare a meal during the GAiN Jamaica free health fair at the Lilliput Community and Resource Center. Photo by Nigel Coke

“We recheck people after the fair and you can see improvements in many of them with regards to cholesterol levels, blood pressure, diabetes etc. We come back and check people here or we send them to the wellness center in Montego Bay. Dr. Matthew O’Connor comes to the Lilliput Adventist church every last Sunday of each month and checks persons to see how they are doing,” Nembhard said.

Persons could visit various booths while they waited to be seen. Booths included Lasco Distributors and Financial Services, HEART College of Hospitality Services, Jamaica Bedding Co., NCU FM and Inter-American Division Publishing Association (IADPA).

To learn more about the church in West Jamaica, visit westjamaica.org