ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / October 14, 2000

LAPLACE – Thanks to a federal program and the help of a health agency in St. Mary Parish, the uninsured and indigent on the west bank of St. John theBaptist Parish could still get free medical help.

Several months ago the Louisiana State Department of Health and Hospitals decided to shut down several health units around the state to trim its budget. One of the units targeted was the Edgard Health Unit located behindthe Edgard courthouse.

The health unit is responsible for inoculations, advice on sexually transmitted diseases and birth control but provides no real primary care.

When the state made its decision Councilman Lester Rainey, who represents the west bank, and Parish President Nickie Monica started looking for alternative medical programs to help patients on the west bank.

Rainey and Monica were approached by the Teche Action Board of St. MaryParish, a non-profit group that provides low-cost and free medical help to the uninsured and poor of the parish.

Carla Broussard Pellorin, CEO of the Teche Action Board, told the St. JohnParish Council Tuesday there is a federal grant that can be applied for to open a full-service, primary care health unit in St. John Parish.Unlike the state-run health unit, this unit would help uninsured patients who are suffering from diabetes, kidney diseases and other life-threatening illnesses.

“Our clinic has four full-time doctors, a dentist, an X-ray technician, a full lab and a pharmacy,” Pellorin said.

Because the unit is federally subsidized, it participates in federal prescription drug programs where drugs can be dispensed at very low prices to the patients.

“We have the opportunity to help you get this medical unit in St. John Parish,”said Pellorin.

Monica asked the council for $25,000 to start writing a grant to the federal government to get funding for the unit.

The council agreed and released the money by a unanimous vote.

“I’m all for this,” said Duaine Duffy. “This is something we really need.”Dr. Reginald Ross, who worked at the Edgard Health Unit and is the teamdoctor for West St. John High School, said the need for a clinic such as thisis needed badly.

“There is a fair number of St. John residents who are uninsured,” said Ross.”The entire parish will benefit from this. I back it whole-heartedly.”Councilman Cleveland Farlough thanked Rainey for all the hard work that had gone into getting the ball rolling on the clinic.

“This shows what you can do when people get together on a common cause,” said Farlough.

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