The Indian Medical Association of New England (IMANE) is proud to support the operations of two free clinics that provide health services to Massachusetts residents in need.

The first such clinic, the New Hope Health Center in Waltham, is celebrating its 10^th anniversary this year. The second clinic, the Worcester Free Health Stop in Shrewsbury, has just completed its 200^th consecutive week of operation with IMANE volunteers. Both clinics fill an important need in our communities. In fact, although 95 percent of Massachusetts residents are supposedly covered by health insurance, the volume of patients using these clinics remains steady. Many are visitors in transit, recent immigrants and people of all cultures.

I recently had a chance to visit both of these health centers and to meet the people behind the scenes who make these operations possible.

 The Worcester Free Health Stop is actually located in Shrewsbury in a building owned by the India Society of Worcester. This clinic started in 2005, under the guidance of Dr. Sadhev Passey. On my trip there, I met with Carolyn Passey, a volunteer, Dr. Dhansukhlal Mandalay, internist, Dr. Rohit Vakil, nephrology, and Dr. Meha Saxsena, who is awaiting a residency match. There is also a roster of other physicians, who include Dr. Kavita Navani, internist, Dr. Neeta Shah, cardiologist, Dr. Gyatridevi Ika, internist, Dr. Raman Saharan, internist, Dr. Srilakshmi Anamandala, and Dr. Prasad Maddukuri, cardiologist, as well as support staff Hasu Patel and Pinku Kumar. Consultants of various specialties are also available for free care referrals.                                           

The New Hope Health Center in Waltham, located in the basement of the Immanuel United Episcopal Church, was founded in 1999 by their pastor. IMANE has traditionally provided the medical personnel, but the center is funded by the church and supported by many volunteers.  My guide was Betsy Rots, the administrative assistant who has volunteered since the founding.  I met Dr. Richard Daley, Director, a family physician who has volunteered for 6 years; Dick Crowley, a Church Trustee; Doreen Embree, RN; Evelyn Guillette, a Reike specialist; Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, a physiatrist; and two high school students from Dedham. Other consultants include Dr. Onaly Kapasi, Dr. Manorama Mathur, Dr. Kunwar Singh, Dr. Anup Singh and Jossie Sukumar, RN. Others have volunteered on occasion.

I am impressed by the level of commitment that both health centers demonstrate to their patients on a regular basis, as well as by the dedication the IMANE volunteers and other provide for the many people who come to the clinic seeking care. My congratulations go out to everyone involved in these worthy efforts.

For more information about IMANE, contact Lynda Layer at 781-434-7317 or LLayer@mms.org.

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