Tropic Care Kaua‘i is open! - The Garden Island

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

The Tropic Care Command team includes, from left, CMS Wendy Beltran Del Rio, Maj. Lisa Haik, Tropic Care MIssion Commander Scott E. Olech and Tropic Care Mission Officer in Charge Maj. Jesse Hernandez, giving the green light shaka Sunday after touring the clinic set up at the Kaua‘i Community College Office of Continuing Education and Training building in Puhi.

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

The patient-reception line readies for the opening of the Tropic Care Kaua‘i clinic at Kaua‘i Community College Sunday as volunteers are briefed on their responsibilities at the college’s Office of Continuing Education and Training building in Puhi.

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Kaua‘i Community College Chancellor Joseph Daisy is briefed following his dental examination Sunday during the set up for Tropic Care Kaua‘i at the Kaua‘i Community College Office of Continuing Education and Training building in Puhi.

PUHI — Kaua‘i Community College Chancellor Joseph Daisy came to the campus Sunday to see how the set up for Tropic Care Kaua‘i was progressing.

“I just wanted to see how things were moving,” Daisy said. “I wasn’t here when they hosted the last Tropic Care. And, since I was here, they asked me if I wanted to have a checkup done.”

Daisy joined a select group of people who were provided a “soft opening” of Tropic Care Kaua‘i by getting examinations through the optometry, dental and general physical examination stations to ensure that equipment and personnel were operating at maximum efficiency.

“I have a new prescription for eyeglasses,” said a KCC worker who took advantage of the soft opening with examinations for herself and her daughter. “It was really good.”

Tropic Care Kaua‘i opens from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, with clinics located at KCC, Kapa‘a Middle School and ‘Ele‘ele School. No-cost health care services are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and those taking advantage of the free eye examinations, dental examinations and physical examinations are reminded to bring their own water and snacks.

Individuals wishing to avail the services provided at the clinics are asked to bring their own prescription eyeglasses and a list of prescribed medications.

A medical innovative readiness training mission presented by the U.S. Department of Defense, Tropic Care Kaua‘i will be providing mobile clinics at Kilauea School from June 13 through 15, and moving to the Waimea Easter Seals facility on June 17, 18 and 20, all with the same hours as the main clinics.

Additionally, The Kaua‘i Bus offers free rides to all riders while Tropic Care Kaua‘i runs, today through Monday, June 20.

“We are excited to partner with the Kaua‘i District Health Office and the innovative readiness training, Department of Defense,” said Mayor Derek Kawakami in announcing the free bus service.

“During Tropic Care, the county will offer free bus rides — including paratransit and fixed-route services. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this tremendous opportunity to obtain health-care services at no cost.”

Anyone requiring an auxiliary aid, service or other accommodations due to a disability should contact the state Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Office at 808-241-3495 as soon as possible to have requests fulfilled.

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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.

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