Seven people in Tobago benefited from prosthetics, eye glasses and dental surgery through medical aid covered by the Medical Assistance Review Committee (MARC).

The aid was valued at $45,720 and falls under the Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development.

The cheque distribution ceremony was held at the division in Scarborough on June 25.

Health Secretary Tracy Davidson-Celestine said her division is responsible for food assistance, rental assistance and medical assistance.

“The division assists quite a number of persons, but first you must qualify...It may not come to you as quickly as you would expect because of the bureaucracies, but it comes, once we have the finances.”

She encouraged all attendees to take care of themselves and reminded them that “your health is your wealth.”

She added that some situations were created by one’s lifestyle activities and called on the population to “eat better, exercise and be active on a daily basis, and read, in order to make better decisions.”

Chairman of the Medial Assistance Review Committee, Dr Maxwell Adeyemi, said such assistance is not common around the world. He alluded to two personal family experiences in UK and Africa where having insurance was a mandatory requirement for any sort of assistance. He encouraged the recipients to appreciate the services they were receiving.

MARC is a multi-sectoral body established to assess applications for medical care for persons who are unable to pay for specific types of care that are not available in the public health care system. The cheques are issued directly to service providers to ensure the funds are used for the purpose intended.

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