SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The arrival of around 15,000 migrants over the last few years in Springfield has put a strain on the city’s healthcare system, so the state of Ohio has brought in a mobile health unit to help bridge the gap.
The clinic, which opened Thursday, is set up at the Clark County Combined Health District and is open to all residents. People can come for vaccinations and other basic health care like checks on blood pressure and hemoglobin.
Right now it takes about two months to get in for a vaccination appointment, according to Governor Mike DeWine. He is hoping the mobile health unit will bring that wait down to two weeks.
“[The mobile unit] will benefit all the citizens of Clark County, all of the citizens of Springfield. Whether they are Haitian or they have lived here all of their lives. This wait time that the health department is experiencing here is just one indication of the strain on the primary health care system,” said DeWine.
The mobile health clinic will begin by targeting the pressure points currently causing the greatest backlogs, initially offering seasonal vaccinations, vaccines for COVID-19, flu and RSV, as well as blood pressure screenings.
The state is bringing in nurses to staff the clinics.
Eventually, the state plans to add a permanent health clinic in Springfield. The location and timeline of this transition are still to be determined.
“My commitment to the county and to the City of Springfield is that we, as a state, will not allow either the new mobile clinic or the permanent clinic to fail,” said DeWine.
Members of the community can make an appointment today by visiting https://mobile.clark.health or by calling CCCHD at 937-390-5600.