Health Camp of New Jersey celebrated 25 years of community service

Health Camp of New Jersey (HCNJ), a well-known and reputed non-profit organization in New Jersey celebrated their 25 years of community health service via Silver Jubilee Gala on November 19, 2023, at Balaji Temple Auditorium in Bridgewater, New Jersey. The Gala event is part of opening a Community Health Center in New Jersey by 2026 which was attended by more than 400 to include the volunteers, prominent business entrepreneurs, elected officials from local, county and state Government in New Jersey. The new center will provide primary health care services and timely post screening follow-up, additional diagnostic testing and periodic check-ups for medical, dental, eye, mental health, and medications for chronic care to include diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disorders and mental health conditions and basic age specific vaccinations to qualified individuals.

Mr. Kiran Kothari, Chairman, Board of Trustees and Master of Ceremony started the program with a welcome and brief history of the past 25 years of service. Two of the life-time and dedicated volunteers of Health Camp of New Jersey Dr. Ashok Patel, Cardiologist from Medicor Cardiology and Navin Merai were awarded with life-time service award, Presidential medallion and a certificate from the White House for their outstanding volunteer service for more than two decades. The youth volunteers Dr. Ninad Desai, Dr. Tushar Mahendra Patel and Niyati Patel provide their testimonials and shared their experience volunteering with the HCNJ and how positively it impacted their lives and career by providing service to the community. In his remarks, Dr. Tushar Patel, President gave a brief history and community impact from the last 25 years of community service provided by the non-profit organization where more than 12,500 individuals received screening and close to 4,000 chronic diseases abnormalities were detected to provide early intervention to reduce long term complications and save lives and reduce the financial burden on the family and the society at large. Dr. Patel explained the new initiative of Community Health Center and the benefits to the underprivileged communities in New Jersey. He further explained that Health Camp of New Jersey has a track record of 25 years of community service and the organization will be ready to start working on Federally Qualified Health Center or look-alike facility in the near future. He further added that this project will be in collaboration with our community leaders, partner organizations and healthcare institutions in New Jersey on or before December 2026. Atul and Lata Shah of ANS Consultants, Inc. were recognized for their generous contributions as an Event Sponsor toward the Community Health Center project. The Edison Township Mayor Sam Joshi was the Chief Guest of the event and presented them with a plaque. In his address to the attendees, Mayor Joshi extended his congratulations, best wishes and support for a community health center in Edison. Dr. Jai Jagadeesh Babu Yalamachili, Founder of UBLOOD and Geeta Fofandi of leading home healthcare Faith Home Healthcare and their developmental disabilities and hospice care services were recognized for their generous support to the Silver Jubilee Gala event. Robert Wood Johson University Hospital – Barnabas Health Somerset – Indian Medical Program was honored for their service to Indian patients in Central New Jersey. New Jersey State Assemblyman from District 7 and Deputy Speaker Dr. Herb Conway, Jr. and Deputy Director of Passaic County Board of County Commissioner John W. Bartlett served as the Guest of Honor at the Gala event and extended their support to Health Camp of New Jersey and praised for 25 years of community service. The New Jersey State Senate Proclamation from Senator Vin Gopal was awarded to the Health Camp of New Jersey by Assemblyman Conway. The Somerset County Commissioners Douglas Singleterry, Melonie Marano and Bridgewater Township Mayor Matthew Moench, Council President Michael Kirsh, Councilman Howard Norgalis and Council Vice-President Timothy Ring were among the other elected officials attended the event and extended their best wishes. Bijender Kumar, Consular for Passport & OCI attestation from the Consulate General Office in New York also attended the event. Shilpi Paul, a Bollywood playback singer from India and a musical band of Entertainment Unlimited rocked the stage with wonderful melodies for two hours.

There are close to 9%, approximately 27 million Americans who do not have health insurance as per the data in 2022. The New Jersey rate is 7% where low-income families, mostly adults, have no insurance due to high cost of private insurance and the cost of coverage is too high for them to afford. The undocumented immigrants and parents or families visiting from overseas are the other group who lack medical coverage. In addition, one in 5 uninsured adults goes without needed medical care due to cost of high insurance premium and out of pocket expenses. Uninsured or underinsured individuals are less likely to receive preventive care and services for their chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and cancer screening. HCNJ’s distinctive initiative of Community Health Center will reduce health care disparities in underprivileged communities and also reduce the overall health care burden on local, state and federal levels.

For detailed information about HCNJ’s health fair activities, upcoming project of community health center and become a sponsor or donor for this project, please visit www.IHCNJ.org or contact HCNJ President Dr. Tushar Patel, at 848-391-0499.