Nearly 100 People Seen by Volunteer Physicians at BIS Fall Festival by Adil Patel

The Fall Festival on October 7, 2017 at the Hoover Crescent Islamic Center was filled with people of all walks of life engaging in fun and health care.

A collaborative effort by the Birmingham Islamic Society (BIS), Association of Physicians of Pakistani-descent in North America (APPNA), and the Red Crescent Clinic of Alabama (RCCA), the health fair hosted rides and delicious food in the parking lot, while the inside of HCIC was filled with a hustle and bustle of physicians and patients.

The Fall Festival ran from 12-4 pm. Services included: flu shots, labs, vision tests, and screenings by physicians. In total there were seven physicians, and over 23 volunteers working. There were over 93 patients that were able to be seen in that four hour period. As well as providing 42 biometric, cholesterol, and glucose screenings, 75 flu shots were given.

When asked about general thoughts about the event Dr. Zakir Khan, the RCCA Medical Director, said, “Most importantly we identified gaps in people’s healthcare, and set them up with our clinic to provide ongoing primary care.”  

The health fair had publicity in the larger Birmingham area as the local WBRC Fox 6 news covered the event.  There was also a visit from Frank Brocato, the mayor of Hoover, who stopped by to see how the event was doing. The volunteers took him through the whole clinic and even demonstrated how quick and easy it is to get some simple tests and checks done.

Every year HCIC hosts the health fair, this is now the fifth year RCCA and the Alabama chapter of APPNA has held it at the mosque.   The Fall Festival was open to everyone regardless of religious affiliation.