Oct. 15, 2007 — A crowd waited for the doors at Sunshine Mall in Frederiksted to open at 7:30 a.m. Monday, lined up not for early-bird specials but for free flu shots and screenings.
"There were 50 people in line at 6 a.m.," said Monsita Diaz, project manager for CareForce.
This was the seventh year for the CareForce event, which began and remains under the guidance of Dr. Cora Christian.
V.I. Medical Institute coordinates private, military, government and business sponsors in bringing free medical examination services to the territory every year. VIMI had registered 200 people by 8:30 a.m., said Doris Brown, a volunteer from AARP.
"The registration process is moving along very fast," she said. The wait was only about 30 minutes to get registered. People sat patiently and visited with each other.
"They were faster than last year and more organized, even though there are more people here this year," said Inez Hinds, a participant since 2000.
New this year in the registration process were laptop computers used to set up a permanent database of participants.
"Now we can tie the health system together electronically," Christian said. "Every patient issue gets into the database."
Volunteer Ann Doute, a retired registered nurse from Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital, gave pneumonia shots.
"With the data printed out, if someone had a pneumonia shot last year, we can see they don't need the shot this year," she said.
Volunteers, in CareForce T-shirts greeted people as soon as they entered the mall and helped with wheelchairs and directions. Nineteen volunteers from the V.I. National Guard also helped out, as they have since 2000.
"We have doctors, nurses, medics and people floating around providing help wherever they are needed," said Lt. Col. Angelica Schuster.
Medical Specialist Melvina Hazell of VING said she believed most people came to get the free flu shots. By 9:30, she said, the volunteers had given 123 flu shots and 21 pneumonia shots.
Student practical nurses from St. Croix Education Complex High School offered blood-sugar testing. Emerald Finney, in the LPN program at Complex, said she had tested one person whose sugar was up and needed to be referred to a doctor.
"I tested two people who had diabetes but control it with insulin, exercise and diet," Finney said. "I think people are really making an effort to stay healthy."
Blood-pressure tests and eye tests were also given. Podiatrist Ian Cook gave foot exams, checking for swelling, pain, numbness and signs of infection.
Dr. Denise Colbert, from the Charles Harwood Dental Clinic, gave dental exams. She was checking for oral pathology disease and periodontal disease, which can cause loss of teeth.
"If people can't chew food properly, it affects the whole digestive system, and total health is affected," she said.
Hudson Douglas, waiting to see Colbert, said he has missed CareForce only one year. He did not have to wait long: He had his flu shot, got his blood pressure checked and got a blood-sugar screening.
"This is very good for the community to check their health," Douglas said. "I just wish they did it twice a year."
Joyce Christian, a board member for VIMI, was at the discharge station finishing up paperwork for patients.
"If we see they need follow up and referral, that is put into their data report and we direct them to the Ask a Nurse station," she said.
Sherilyn Pogson was at the AARP desk putting the final patient information into the computer.
"I am so happy to get all of these free services today," Aviril Simon said, before going to get her free CFL bulb from the V.I. Water and Power Authority table.
Diaz has a goal of serving 4,000 people in the territory this week.
"Our biggest success is when we catch problems early and stop getting ill," Dr. Christian said.
Another CareForce screening will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday at D.C. Canegata Complex in Christiansted.
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