KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA) Heartland Chapter and Mercy & Truth Medical Missions are partnering to sponsor a free health fair Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013 from 2 to 6 p.m.
The health fair will be held at the Mercy & Truth KCK Clinic, located at 721 North 31st Street, Kansas City, Kan.
Physicians on the Providence medical staff who are members of the APPNA and who will be volunteering at the health fair include Aman Khan, M.D., pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist; Maria Javaid, M.D., interventional cardiologist; and Hussain Haideri, M.D., nephrologist. They are among the 40 physicians of Pakistani descent from across the metro that will be providing their services at the event.
LeAnne DeTar Newbert, M.D., a family practice physician with Providence Medical Center Primary Care—Basehor, and medical director of Mercy & Truth, also is assisting with the health fair.
JoAnn McIntosh, R.N., a member of the Providence nursing staff who is a volunteer with Mercy & Truth, is taking reservations for the health fair.
“There is a definite need in our community for this event,” says Karen Orr, R.N., M.S.N., M.B.A., C.M.S.R.N., chief nursing officer for Providence. “We are happy to make a small contribution to support the health fair, but want to acknowledge the importance of the partnership between our on-staff physicians and the APPNA, along with all the efforts of JoAnn McIntosh, one of our surgical unit nurses. Their involvement is key to reaching out to our community.”
“This is a wonderful event where Muslims and Christians are working side by side for the good of the underserved people of Wyandotte County,” says Dr. DeTar Newbert. “Mercy & Truth is in the business of caring for people with the servant’s heart of Christ and APPNA desires to give back to the community and serve the poor.”
Dr. Khan, who is a past president of the APPNA and is assisting with organizing the health fair, agrees and adds, “By working together, we will be able to make the most of our resources and reach people who need medical care in Wyandotte County.”
Abdul Ahad Haleem, M.D., current president of the APPNA and a physician on staff at the Veterans Administration Hospital, adds that the clinic will provide much-needed health care to the uninsured and underprivileged in Kansas City, Kan.
“Our health fair is part of the APPNA’s preventive health initiative, which will take place in 30 cities in the United States and Canada,” he says.
Approximately 40 physician specialists of Pakistani descent from across the area will be on hand to consult with individuals. Patients who are referred to the health fair by other safety net clinics or private providers will receive a copy of their consult notes and a copy will be sent to the referring provider.
Patients who have no provider will be given a list of providers participating in the Wyandotte Safety Net clinic network and encouraged to follow up with the consultation information provided.
Specialties represented at the health fair include: internal/general/family medicine/pediatrics; pathology; neurology/neuro-intervention/strokes; pulmonary (sleep); cardiology (heart); allergy/rheumatology; nephrology (kidney diseases); gastroenterology nutrition/dietary; orthopedics (joint, back pain); pain evaluation and management; psychiatry/psychology; and hematology/oncology.
The providers will be administering free flu shots to the first 120 participants. Basic blood tests (cholesterol and glucose), EKGs, echocardiograms and bone densitometry also will be available. Bill Miller, massage therapist, will offer free chair massages.
Health fair appointments are free, but pre-registration is recommended. Contact McIntosh at 913-953-6623 to schedule a free appointment.
Sponsors of the health fair include Providence Medical Center, Walgreen’s, Target, Starbucks, Cameron Regional Hospital, Tara Kuhn Photography, Gentiva Hospice and Heart to Heart International. Burmese interpretation will be available courtesy of Joanne Sauter.
