A new clinic in town will provide free medical services to uninsured folks in Osceola County.
- Free Clinic of Florida opening Osceola County location
- Clinic will be open every 2nd, 4th Saturday
- Office visits, lab work will be free
The doctor behind the project said the goal is to close the health care coverage gap.
“There is a lot of need out there. There’s no question about that,” said Dr. Wael Jamaleddine who is spearheading Free Clinic of Florida.
Office visits and lab work will be completely free on certain weekend days, for those who are uninsured and eligible.
“All these buildings sitting idle on a Saturday, there's a lot of resources that are just getting untapped,” Dr. Jamaleddine said.
Free Clinic of Florida was founded by Dr. Jamaleddine, who opened the first free clinic in Polk County. That clinic will serve as a model for this new one.
“You know there’s a lot of people that are falling in that crack where you cannot get insurance and if you can, it’s too expensive,” Dr. Jamaleddine explained. “And so these people are ending up in emergency rooms and being treated oftentimes very late where there is really at that point-- illnesses have gotten a lot worst and the cost of care has gotten a lot higher.”
Free Clinic of Florida will be hosted at the Marydia Community Center every second and fourth Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The clinic is coming together with the help of volunteers from the Marydia Community Center, like Jeanne Cole.
“I feel like I am doing something good to help give back that's going to be an be an example of what I want them to believe in,” said Cole, who is the community board secretary for Marydia Community Center. “And it's important that you do what's important for yourself and your family, but also don't forget your brother, your sister.”
The idea, Dr. Jamaleddine said, is to open more free clinics all over Central florida. “I can tell you this is is not an expensive endeavor, it takes a lot of work, a lot of heart,” he added. “And health care does not have to be expensive."
The clinic opens on April 14. For more information on how to volunteer your time or make an appointment, head to the Free Clinic of Florida website.