Health fairs support local Hispanic and refugee communities
EVMS faculty, residents, students, alumni and community partners came together recently to provide physicals and assistance with back-to-school forms for more than 100 children in local immigrant and refugee communities. Volunteers also supplied general health screenings, ophthalmologic care and health education.
The Medical Spanish Health Fair for the Hispanic immigrant community of Hampton Roads was held Saturday, Aug. 18, at Norfolk Collegiate School.
The Refugee Health Fair, produced in partnership with Hampton Roads Refugee Relief and Commonwealth Catholic Charities, was held Sunday, Aug. 19, at the Peninsula Boys and Girls Club in Newport News.
Between both events, 15 physicians and more than 30 medical and health professions students volunteered their time.
“We are very thankful to all of our volunteers and partners for making these events such a community success,” says Alexandra Leader, MD, MPH, Director of Global Health and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics. “These service-learning initiatives create a space to bring together many different cultures and languages, from Farsi to Spanish, to improve health access and community engagement for all.”