US-based professionals offer free health services

By Stanford Conway
Editor-in-Chief-SKNVibes.com

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A 40-member US-based team of health professionals known as United Hands Inc., will be in the Federation to conduct free health screenings to residents of St. Kitts and Nevis from July 28 to 31.

According to a press release from the United Hands Inc., the health team’s visit is sponsored by the St. Kitts and Nevis Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Ministry of Health.

Medical Director of United Hands Inc., Dr. Don Bovell, who is also an emergency medicine physician in Florida, said the focus of the team’s health screening would be on prevention.

The release states that the services to be offered include vision evaluation and free glasses, blood pressure checks, glucose and cholesterol screenings, ultrasound imaging, dental evaluation and treatment, general health, nutrition and weight loss counselling, and medical examination by physicians and other healthcare practitioners. 

United Hands Inc., is an all-volunteer group that makes one mission trip per year and, prior to St. Kitts and Nevis, the team had travelled to Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, South Africa and Ghana.   ~~Adz:Right~~

Each member of the group covers their own expenses for the trip and the local hosts assist with logistics and transportation.

“It is a lot of work to get ready for one of our mission trips. Fortunately, I have the assistance of Alvincent Hutson, a Kittitian-American, who extended the invitation to us,” the release quoted Ann Burnett, the Coordinator of United Hands.

The release added that it takes Burnett months of careful planning, securing supplies and working out the travel details for all members of the team.

“God has greatly blessed us and this is a great opportunity to give back,” said Dr. David Williams, a Public Health Professor at Harvard University in Boston and Director of United Hands Inc.

Dr. Williams, a St. Lucian, stated that many of the team members including Burnett [Jamaica] and Dr. Bovell [Guyana] have Caribbean roots.

The local Seventh Day Adventist Church is encouraging all members of the community to go and receive the free health care services that would be available.


Locations and Dates of screenings are:

Newtown Health Center - July 28th (All services – Medical, Dental, Optical)

Dental services at Newtown Health Center July 28 – 30th

Cayon Health Center – July 29th  (Medical and optical only)

St. Pauls Health Center – July 30th (Medical and optical only)

Charlestown Health Center, Nevis - July 31st (All services)