These days, healthcare issues are becoming more complex and expensive. The cost of having private insurance for a family with two children can be more than $1000a month. There is Medicare, Medicaid, Iowa Care each for different types of people based on income. There are over 400,000 Medicaid recipients including financially needy children, families, and disabled people in Iowa, many of whom are struggling to find doctors. Iowa Carewas created for people who have some income;therefore don’t qualify for Medicaid. They can only get health care in Iowa City or Des Moines, resulting in inconvenience and travel cost. There are other people who can’t afford to have any health insurance at all.
Regardless, there are enormous needs for a free health clinic where people can seek help from time to time without ending in emergency room or hospital. So far there has been no free health clinic established in Bettendorf or Davenport.
The Muslim communities are blessed with a large number of doctors who have come from all over the world to make Quad Cities their home. There are more than 45 doctors (15 of them from Clinton alone) mostly from India, Pakistan, and Arab countries; some of them practising in the area for over 30 years. They are passionate about the medical care they provide for their patients and would love to help.
One of Islam’smissions is to serve humanity. Prophet Muhammad(peace and blessings of Allah be to him) was sent as mercy to all human beings. In one of his sayings he explained that if you are not merciful to people, God will not be merciful to you. Islam teaches us to open our heart and mind to help the needy and the destitute without any distinction of colour, creed, race or religion. One has to rise above these bias and prejudices to serve humanity.
The Muslim Community of Quad Cities (MCQC) members have been working to bring the idea to Quad cities for many years. Their dream will come true in May 2013 with the opening of “MCQC Free Clinic of Iowa”. It is a MCQC project but with cooperation of everyone in Quad Cities and Clinton. The Muslims have joined hands with “Free Clinic of Iowa” which has 30 other satellite clinics throughout Iowa. There are few people who have worked very hard to bring this first Muslim health clinic to Quad Cities. First Dr. Farah Khan, our Clinic Manager,originally thought of the idea and has worked through difficult circumstances to bring the idea to its conclusion. The other is Dr. Waleed Al-Sheikha, who stepped up to the plate as Medical Director when his help was really needed.
The clinic will operate from 2115 East Kimberly Road in Bettendorf on first and third Saturdays of the month from 10 to 12 noon. Patients must arrive 30 minutes prior to register. There has been an overwhelming support from doctors, nurses and other volunteers offering their support for this project. We are very excited to be a part of this first free health clinic of its kind in the Quad Cities. Hopefully, our main mission of pleasing God and serving people will be realised soon.
[ANIS ANSARI, MD, is Board Member,MCQC Free Clinic of Iowa]