Free medical mission to help thousands

THOUSANDS are set to receive free life-changing surgeries and medical care in July, as the Seventh-day Adventist Community Hospital in Cocorite teams up with US-based non-profit Hands International for one of the largest humanitarian health initiatives the country has seen.

The Hands International Medical Mission 2025, scheduled for July 21-24, will offer free clinical and surgical services in ophthalmology, gastroenterology, gynaecology and general surgery. The mission will be delivered by a massive team of 125 volunteer professionals, including nurses, general practitioners and surgeons.

For many, it will be the only realistic chance to access procedures that are often unaffordable or involve years-long public health waiting lists.

“This is a mission that brings help where it’s most needed,” Dr Stephen Carryl, CEO of the Community Hospital, told Newsday.

“If you just pick something like cataract surgery — there are people right now who’ve had a referral in hand for years and still haven’t been able to access the surgery.” The mission is about addressing those gaps, he said.

The initiative, a partnership between the hospital, Hands International and corporate sponsor M&M Insurance Broking Services Ltd, will include a Healthy Horizons surgical pre-screening programme.

Running from May 27 to July 18 at the Community Hospital, the programme will identify and prepare eligible patients for the July mission, offering specialist consultations, diagnostic imaging, wellness coaching and referrals for those requiring other forms of care.

The full package of screening services is available for $350 per participant. Owing to limited capacity, online registration is required.

Hands International has a history in TT, having conducted missions here since 2008. The last mission, significantly smaller in scale, was in 2016.

Founded by Dr Wayne Agard, a surgeon born in Tobago, the group delivers free clinical and surgical care in underserved regions globally, with recent missions in Kenya and elsewhere in the Caribbean.

“What makes this mission different is the size and scope,” Carryl said. “Most visiting missions, if they have 25 medical professionals, that’s considered a lot.

“This group is bringing 125. They’re equipped to see several thousand people a day — not just for surgeries, but for general medical care and screenings.”

In addition to an anticipated scores of cataract surgeries, the team will conduct gynaecological procedures, colonoscopy screenings, general surgeries and minor interventions — all at no cost to patients.

Hands International has ensured the mission’s expenses do not burden local resources. “Nothing is truly free, but this group runs its missions with their own operational budgets,” Carryl said.

“They supply what’s needed and cover costs, so the hospital isn’t left absorbing the consumables and expenses.”

Corporate partner M&M Insurance Broking Services Ltd is also playing a central role through sponsorship. The company’s portfolio administrator and R&D team lead Fidel Castagne said the mission aligned with M&M’s commitment to expanding access to affordable healthcare.

“We’ve made significant strides already as through our partnership with The Community Hospital we were instrumental in the procurement of the endoscopic spine surgery equipment and the development of the hospital’s nuerosurgeical capability,” Castagne said.

“We’ve also developed specially reduced cost surgical packages for group health plan members under our Unimed portfolio that has seen surgical costs reduce by as much as $72,000 overall.

“When we learned of this incredible humanitarian initiative, we immediately came on board as the primary corporate sponsor to help cover local costs and support the Healthy Horizons pre-screening programme.”

Carryl said he wants the collaborative initiative to become a regular fixture in the country’s health services landscape.

“We’re anticipating this won’t be a one-off event. Dr Agard and I are fully aligned in wanting to make this a frequent mission.”

He said the hospital has kept with its mandate since inception and will continue to do so.

“Remember Community Hospital as your first private hospital is still committed to its original intent of supplementing the government as it relates to health care.

“That’s why it came about in 1962 and yes, we know that subsequently there’s more capacity through the RHA (regional health authorities).

“When the hospital opened, there was only Port of Spain and San Fernando. But now there’s (Sangre) Grande (and others).

“All of these places have nice, beautiful, big hospitals, but the government can only do so much in health care. So here is a private hospital willing to partner with missions to bring health care to the public and in what is labelled as free health care.

Registration for the Healthy Horizons surgical pre-screening events is now open online, with limited spaces available.