Episcopal Medical Missions Foundation Information

In 1996 EMMF continued to support the San Lucas Clinic which it had helped to establish in 1993-1995. The San Lucas Clinic was initially conceived by Sister Jean Gabriel, C.T., who suggested that an old abandoned two-story school building adjacent to the San Estaban¹s Church in San Pedro de Macoric could be converted into an outpatient/teaching clinic with particular services such as ophthalmology, ObGyn, pediatrics, dentistry and an operating suite. On his initial site visit in August, 1992, Keith McCaffety inspected the building and asked the Board of EMMF to approve a major commitment by EMMF to organize teams to provide renovation of the building and medical/dental services to the poor people of the barrio served by San Estaban's and its rector The Rev. Alfred Williams. With the approval of the Board and the complete backing of Bishop Julio Hoguin of the Diocese of Dominicana, EMMF coordinated a three year project to renovate the property and turn it into a clinic and quarters for visiting Episcopalian teams. Specifically EMMF sent a construction engineer and nine teams over a two year period to replace the roof, ceiling and rotted eaves, to rewire the upper floor, replace bad timbers in the roof, undercoat the metal roof, treat for termites, replumb the building, and drill a water well to insure uncontaminated water for the clinic operation. EMMF provided funds, equipment, and personnel to create a radiology unit, pharmacy, dental program, and clinics in ObGyn, ophthalmology, pediatrics, family planning, and general medicine. To top it off, EMMF secured the services of a nurse with a Master¹s degree in public health to administer the clinic and to teach midwifery as well as general public health education. A dentist and his wife from Texas initiated the services at St. Luke's Clinic by conducting a clinic for four months at their own expense. Another Texan, a cranio-facial surgeon, visited the clinic and made suggestions for the development of its surgical suite. During all this time children, who needed care that the clinic could as yet not provide, were taken to Houston and received orthopedic care and physical rehabilitation arranged by an EMMF pediatrician. After the clinic was established EMMF turned over the operation of the clinic to a local committee. Since then, periodic reports indicate that the clinic that EMMF launched is sailing smoothly along and delivering excellent health care to a poor people previously unserved. It was particularly gratifying to learn that many local physicians have stepped forward to donate as much as 25 hours per week to the clinic.