Waterloo Regional Campus hosts first vision clinic for refugees
On Nov. 10, medical learners from McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, Waterloo Regional Campus participated in the region’s first-ever refugee vision screening clinic. The event welcomed 60 patients for a full-day clinic, marking a milestone in healthcare services for the refugee community.
The clinic was a collaborative effort from the medical community and local healthcare practitioners and offered patients thorough eye examinations and referrals to additional specialized care as needed. While a similar model currently operates in Toronto, the Kitchener-Waterloo clinic adopted an interdisciplinary approach, involving dedicated medical students, translators, optometrists, and an ophthalmologist.
This approach not only provides accessible care for patients who often face many barriers to utilizing the healthcare system, but also sets the stage for a sustainable, recurring clinic dedicated to addressing the unique healthcare needs of the refugee population in the region. The region also stands out due to its commitment to pairing all refugees with a dedicated family health clinic that specializes in refugee care.
“We have the resources and necessary support available to us as medical students at a regional campus and we want to ensure that we utilize them to create positive impacts on the community we hope we may serve one day,” said Amin Hatamnejad, one of the students of the WRC Class of 2024 who organized the clinic.
Chryssa McAlister, a local ophthalmologist and the co-division head of ophthalmology in the region, joined forces with the Community HealthCaring Kitchener-Waterloo, led by family physician Shiva Adel, to facilitate the clinic. In addition, Amin Hatamnejad WRC Class of 2024 and Justin Grad, WRC Class of 2025, organized the initiative that brought together numerous medical students who played a vital role in supporting the clinic throughout the day.
“We have access to case workers, we have access to interpreters, we have access to medical students who are all willing to help the same cause. We’re really hoping to reduce the burden on different optometrists and ophthalmologists by providing health screening in a one-stop shop.” Said Dr. Adel
“This pioneering effort exemplifies the commitment of healthcare professionals and students to make a positive impact on the lives of refugees in the Kitchener-Waterloo region,” said Grad.
McAlister’s office in Kitchener was selected as the inaugural site for the region’s first-ever vision screening refugee clinic, specifically because of its close proximity to a pharmacy and optician, equipped with multiple language capacities, that were able to fill prescriptions and provide glasses at no cost for patients under Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) coverage.
“I am delighted that we have this opportunity to provide our refugee patients with good eye care,” said McAlister. “It sets them up with the vision they need to succeed in Canada and allows us to make sure they get appropriate eye treatments to prevent and manage serious eye diseases. It also is a great opportunity for optometry and ophthalmology to work collaboratively on helping this vulnerable patient population. It is heartwarming to see how grateful the refugee patients are at getting this care.”
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