Dr. Husam Zarad and nearly 40 other Muslim colleagues are finally having their moment of joy on Wednesday, June 11, opening a free clinic to serve the people of Hernando County in Florida.
“This is our dream coming true,” Zarad told San Petersburg Times.
“And after talking about this for so long, we decided to make it really happen,” he added while helping move an exam table into the clinic’s building.???????? ????? ????????
The Muslim physicians have been planning the Crescent Community Clinic in the city of Brooksville for over a year.
The clinic, financed by Muslim doctors from Hernando, will start as of Wednesday offering charge-free medical services to the County residents.
It is located at the crowd downtown area, where there are stores, businesses and several homeless camps in the nearby woods.
The location also makes it easy for people to walk to the clinic if they don’t have transportation.
The doctors expect to have two or three general physicians staffing the office while specialists, including cardiologists and neurologists, will rotate on various days.
The dream project is modeled after a handful of other free Muslim clinics across the US, including the Red Crescent Clinic in Tampa city and a similar one in central Los Angeles.
There are between six to seven million Muslims in the US, making up less than three percent of the country’s 300 million population.
The number of Muslims in Hernando, which has a 166.000 population, is unknown, but about 400 people are affiliated with the county’s mosques.
Contribution
The Muslim doctors are eager to see the clinic offering much-needed health care for Hernando residents.
“This is how we are going to give back to our community,” says Zarad.
“I’m losing sleep just thinking of the benefits this will bring for the community.”
For years, he and his colleagues have watched the uninsured in Hernando get underserved in primary health care.
“We’ve all seen the number of indigent patients increase. That was a big reason for us to finally get this open.”
According to the 2006 Health Needs Assessment, about 18 percent of Hernando population do not have medical insurance.
It’s not uncommon for many of those who can’t afford health care or insurance to end up in emergency rooms for primary care, and often when their health problems have become worse.
“The new clinic will be a great contribution to the community, and a welcomed resource to our many residents in need,” said Jean Rags, County Director of Health and Human Services.
The Muslim doctors hope their clinic will motivate others to take up similar initiatives and donate their time and talents to serve the community.
“For example, many of the same people who can’t afford medical care can’t go to the dentist,” Ahmed Bedier, the clinic spokesman, told the San Petersburg Times.
“We hope this sets an example for others to follow, and maybe a way to compete in doing good.”
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