Maui County will be providing free health care services this month as part of Tropic Care Maui County, a partnership between the County of Maui Office of the Mayor, the State Department of Health, and the Innovative Readiness Training Program of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. Maui County was selected as the designated location for this free program after Mayor Alan Arakawa signed an official request to the U.S Department of Defense in 2001. The services will be provided by military personnel as part of their hands-on disaster-relief training.
The free health services include medical, dental, and vision. The no-cost opportunities include physical exams, sports physicals (bring school form), and blood pressure/disease screenings. Dental services include exams, extractions, and fillings. Vision services include screenings, glasses prescriptions, single lens glasses (subject to stock on hand; not provided at Moloka‘i and Lana‘i clinics).
Editor’s note: County Communications Director provided an update, stating “Due to transportation issues, there will be NO dental services available for the first day of Maui County Tropic Care 2018 on the island of Molokai. Military providers expect to have dental services available by the following day, on Sunday, August 12.”
The no-cost health care clinics will be offered August 11-19. The central Maui clinic will be at University of Hawai‘i, Maui Campus in the Hale Buildings 216-221; Kihei will be at St. Theresa’s Roman Catholic Church; Lahaina at Waiola Church; Hana at Hana Community Center, Building A; Moloka‘i at Mitchell Pauole Center; and Lana‘i at County Gymnasium.
The free clinics are open to the general public. Identification will not be required and no fees will be charged.
The services will be provided by more than 350 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, ophthalmologists, dentists, and others from active and reserved ranks of the armed forces around the United States. The military personnel are participating in this hands-on readiness training to prepare for future deployments while providing direct and lasting benefits to the people of Maui County.
The clinics were designed to serve as a rapid deployment military exercise for personnel who respond to post-disaster locations to support the affected population. Because of the nature of the service, individuals will be seen on a first come, first served basis and advance appointments will not be taken. Wait times will depend on the number of people who attend the clinic that day. Tropic Care organizers suggest the public come prepared to wait in line with needed essentials including water, a folding chair, and umbrella for shade.
Anyone needing documentation of the health care services they will be receiving must bring their own forms or other paperwork; no forms will be provided.
Tropic Maui is also looking for volunteers to provide support at each clinic on all islands. The link for volunteer sign-ups can be found via the County website at https://www.mauicounty.gov/1933/Tropic-Care-2018.
Photo courtesy of Mauicounty.gov
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