UTech hosts successful back-to-school fair

UNIVERSITY OF Technology, Jamaica, as part of the major outreach initiatives commemorating the institution’s 65th anniversary, hosted a successful Back-to-School Community Health and Services Fair on Thursday, July 2 at its Papine and Arthur Wint campuses.

The health fair was jointly organised by the university’s Human Resources Division, the Community Service Department, Joint Colleges of Medicine, Oral Health, and Veterinary Sciences and the UTech, Jamaica Students’ Union.

Scores of persons from communities surrounding the two campuses, as well as UTech, Jamaica employees, students and their family members, took advantage of the various health and wellness services offered throughout the day. Several partnering organisations were well represented by dedicated team members who, from well-equipped pop-up booths, offered well-needed services to the attendees.

Among the free health services provided were back-to-school medicals for students ages 10 to 12, blood pressure, HIV and body mass index (BMI) tests, eye and hearing checks, vaccination and oral health checks, including dental cleaning and extractions. The health services were provided by UTech, Jamaica College of Oral Health, The Heart Foundation of Jamaica and Jamaica AIDS Support for Life, among others.

At least 150 persons who registered for dental cleaning were transported to the College of Oral Health Sciences, Arthur Wint Drive Campus, by shuttle service. Other patrons of the fair seized the opportunity to receive assistance with personal documents such as their NIS, PATH, tax and health records with representatives on hand from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Registrar General’s Department, and the Ministry of Health’s National Health Fund.

ALIGNS WITH MISSION

Professor Haldane Johnson, acting deputy president, UTech, Jamaica, commended the organising team and sponsors for their joint effort in making the fair a reality, noting that “both our students and members of staff are engaged in a variety of service projects geared towards making a positive impact on the lives of people by reaching out into the surrounding communities and beyond”. Johnson asserted that the outreach fair “aligns with UTech’s mission to advance our strong tradition of community engagement and partnership to facilitate capacity building and growth, particularly in the communities in our immediate environs with which we share space and concern”.

Commenting on the significance of the health and outreach fair, Simone McGregor-Jackson, vice president and chief human resource officer, UTech, Jamaica, noted that the initiative was organised in keeping with one the institution’s core value of service.

“At the heart of the University of Technology, Jamaica, lies a core value that defines our very existence – service. As your national university, our unwavering commitment to excellence extends beyond the confines of our campus, reaching out to both our immediate and wider community. We firmly believe that service is not merely an aspect of our operations; rather, it forms the very foundation upon which we stand,” said McGregor-Jackson.

Describing the event as a moment for harmonious reintegration, director of community service at UTech, Paulton Gordon, noted that since the COVID-19 situation and the curtailment of face-to-face outreach activities, “we were looking at opportunities to restart and to get the integration and the harmony back as it relates to our relationship with the communities in and around our space and we saw this as a perfect opportunity”.

Gordon further noted, “We got the dental persons involved; we got some of our nurses and doctors involved, so it a holistic effort of outreach and giving back to our staff and our adjoining communities.”