Improvements are being planned for Tucson’s Clínica Amistad, which provides free health care here at an average of about 35 new patients each month.
The clinic, a project of Amistad Y Salud, has provided free health care for over 19 years to people without insurance or the ability to pay for services and, since the start of the pandemic, has been helping people with increasingly serious health care needs.
The clinic, at 101 W. Irvington Road, sees about 275 patients each month right now during nine clinic days.
New federal funds announced last week will be used to purchase exam tables, upgrade records from paper to electronic files, and purchase equipment for electrocardiograms and ultrasounds as well as a machine for instrument sterilization, said Nicole Glasner, the clinic’s executive director.
Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva on Thursday presented $185,000 to the clinic from the federal Community Project Funding. The money will be used to replace outdated, often second-hand donations of clinic equipment.
“I was proud to advocate for this community project funding for Clínica Amistad to help them get the tools, equipment, supplies and training they need to continue serving our community,” Grijalva said Thursday.
“As a volunteer-based clinic, Clínica Amistad provides free health services for vulnerable and low-income individuals and fills a critical gap in our health care system. This project funding is a small investment that I hope will help them expand and support more people in our community.”
Many of the clinic’s patients have lost jobs or insurance, Glasner said, and are coming in for primary care needs. The clinic also serves uninsured people who have chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes.
The clinic is run by a small staff that includes 44 credentialed volunteers, and 74 student and community volunteers.
“With the increase in patient load and more difficult cases, and the rising cost to our organization to outsource lab work, tests and imaging, our clinic has been in desperate need of new equipment,” Glasner wrote in an email.
“We have focused on funding patient care, and have been grateful to the community for donations and support,” Glasner wrote.
