WAIPOULI — Barbara Gusman of the Sheraton Kaua‘i Coconut Beach said the big checkout was Thursday.
“A lot of the people affiliated with Tropic Care Kaua‘i will be checking out Thursday,” Gusman said. “We’ll still have a few people left, but most of the people will be leaving.”
Thursday marked the end of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training Mission, affectionately labeled Tropic Care Kaua‘i because the majority of equipment and staff is scheduled to be on Kaua‘i.
“We are so grateful that our residents were given the opportunity to receive free medical services at the different locations across the island,” said Mayor Derek Kawakami in his weekly video update. “We hope that Kaua‘i will be chosen again in the future for this important and valuable project.”
During the program that provided no-cost health care in dentistry, optometry, general medical and some specialized areas, Tropic Care Kaua‘i wrapped up its week-long stay by tallying more than 1,750 patient encounters at the three main clinics set up at ‘Ele‘ele School, Kaua‘i Community College and Kapa‘a Middle School. Patients were also seen at the mobile clinics at Kilauea School and Waimea Easter Seals facility that saw a large turnout on its first day of operation.
“Overall, this was a very successful mission,” said Dr. Janet Berreman, state Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Officer. “Due to IRT budget restrictions, this was smaller than prior missions, resulting in the mission involving a smaller number of troops and fewer days of service, so the lower numbers are no surprise.”
Tropic Care Kaua‘i medical professionals performed 2,279 procedures over the network of clinics ending Sunday. Of these, 775 were in optometry, 769 in general medicine and 735 procedures were accomplished in dentistry for a medical value of $864,259.
“This mission was especially welcome, coming as it did at a time of greater need on Kaua‘i,” Berreman said.
“The stresses of the pandemic over the past two and a half years have affected our community’s economic stability, physical and mental health. Providing medical, dental, behavioral health and vision services at no cost could not have come at a better time. Mahalo to the IRT team, and to all of the community partners, especially the County of Kaua‘i, the Department of Education, and the Kaua‘i Community College, who helped make this mission a success.”
The 250-plus military personnel and support staff were housed at both the Sheraton Kaua‘i Coconut Beach and the Hilton Garden Inn Kaua‘i Wailua Bay.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
