African Family Health Organization to host health screening day on Oct. 22
No insurance or documentation is required to participate.
The African Family Health Organization, or AFAHO, will host a health screening day on Oct. 22 in Southwest Philadelphia.
The AFAHO serves the diverse African and Caribbean immigrant community of the greater Philadelphia area. They started hosting health screening fairs about two years ago. Now the event is twice yearly. The upcoming event will be on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the AFAHO parking lot at 2420 S. 54th Street.
Organizers say that many immigrants in their community cannot usually access basic preventative screenings because they lack health insurance or transportation, or need help navigating language and cultural obstacles.
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“During past health screenings, attendees have first discovered that they might be living with a chronic or infectious illness,” says Oni Richards, AFAHO Executive Director, in a press release. “Our cultural health navigators have been able to connect them to care.”
The fall event will include free eye vision exams, blood pressure and glucose tests, COVID-19 vaccines, dental checks, and hepatitis B and colon cancer screenings. The exams will be provided by partner organizations such as Penn Medicine, Tang Pharmacy, and the Hepatitis B Foundation. Representatives from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health will also attend to provide information about COVID-19 and monkeypox.
No insurance or documentation is required to participate. For more information, visit afaho.org.
Hosting a health event in the community? Let us know: health-science-desk@inquirer.com