LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Dozens of people packed the Consulate of Mexico in Las Vegas on Tuesday, not for passports or legal documents, but for healthcare.
The free health fair, hosted in partnership with the nonprofit REACH, provided essential medical services, including health screenings, vaccinations, and eye exams.
For many attendees, events like this offer their only opportunity to see a doctor.
“This is a good option for us to come and get information about the resources available to people with low income or families like ours that don’t have health insurance,” said attendee Maria Soto in Spanish.
Nevada is home to an estimated 160,000 undocumented people. Because they are ineligible for Medicaid and cannot purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, their options for health care are limited.
“The most important part about this event is that people can stop by and in one single visit, get their blood pressure checked, their glucose levels, get their eye exams and get their teeth checked,” said Director of REACH Luis Aceves in Spanish.
Some attendees had not seen a doctor in years. Event organizers said one woman was rushed to the emergency room after a screening revealed dangerously high blood pressure.
There have been efforts to expand healthcare access, including a recent push to allow DACA recipients to enroll in ACA coverage, but for the undocumented community, the options remain limited.
“As Hispanics, we tend to leave our health in the last spot in our priorities and it’s very important to be aware of what we have to take care of ourselves and our families,” said Consul of Community Affairs Lourdes Orestano.
The Consulate of Mexico in Las Vegas and REACH will continue hosting these health fairs every second Tuesday of the month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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