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Clinic survives cutbacks
By MARTÍN E. MARTÍNEZ / Vida En El Valle
(Published Wednesday, June 25th, 2008 08:46AM)
SACRAMENTO -- Although Clinica Tepati announced it possible clousure last week due to state budget problems this week clinic representatives said the clinic will remain open after all.
This is a great relief for hundreds of people in Sacramento who don't have access to health insurance and live on low-incomes.
This is the case of Blanca Villarreal who in the last five years had visited the Clínica Tepati to treat her health problems as well as their two sons.
Villarreal usually goes to this clinic because she is an insuranced single mother and can not afford a private doctor services.
"I come here every time I need because the service is free and medical care that I receive is very good. The people and doctors here treated me very well," said Villarreal while awaiting her turn to see the doctor due her daughter Gloria, 6, has a stomach problems.
If this clinic close its doors, Villarreal could hardly receive medical attention. "I could not pay the costs of a hospital or doctor while my economic situation continues as bad as it is now," said this woman originally from Michoacán.
But, fortunately for Villerreal, as for hundreds of patients who recieve medical attention there, the clinic continues to provide its services which was welcomed by the staff and volunteers of this center.
"We are very pleased to learn that this clinic will not be closed because it's going to affect hundreds of people who have no other medical alternative," said Blanca Solís, Doctor of Medical Center at the University of California at Davis and volunteer of Clínica Tepati.
Solís clarified that the center that originally was going to close is Capitol Health Center, a place where Clínica Tepati operates, and hence there was a risk that closed its doors.
"Thanks that we talked with Sacramento County supervisors and also we have several public hearings finally they decided not to close this clinic because is was not the most appropriate since many people depend on its services," said Solís.
What supervisors decided is Capitol Health Center follow functioned just three times per week so Clínica Tepati could continues operating in the same location.
"We know that cuts to health by the State Government are very strong but, although we don't know if in the future the personal want to close it definitively but for now we will continue offering our services. With this the patients without resources will gain, " said Manuel Avilés, a volunteer doctor of the clinic.
La Clinica Tepati operates only on Saturdays and serves nearly 1,000 patients per year. Its operations began more than 30 years ago by a group of Latino students of medicine and is staffed by volunteer doctors from UC-Davis.
