Medical Clinic Update – August 2022

An extension of Portage Community’s International Program is the Partner of Hope Medical Clinic. We desire to eliminate barriers for Dominican students pursuing a degree in medicine. Across the Dominican Republic, many people don’t have access to medical care. This is due to distance from a care facility or a lack of funds to pay for care.

Portage Community’s founder, Steve Michalik, witnessed this firsthand during a mission trip in 2018. Since then, we’ve made tremendous strides toward completing a private medical clinic to serve the people in and around Higuey. Partnering with us in this endeavor is Hope for Hispaniola, a nonprofit that has worked heavily in the Dominican Republic for 20 years. Thanks to this partnership, the clinic will be built inside the Hope for Hispaniola Medical and Missions Center outside Higuey.

Construction Update for the Medical Clinic

Construction began on the clinic in December 2020, providing jobs for many unemployed Dominicans. Today, the construction is complete.

A building is now standing fully equipped with electricity and air conditioning. On the first floor is the soon-to-be clinic, which will not be functioning until the legal work and licensure are finalized. Until then, the clinic is being prepared for patients and doctors as the first floor is divided into different areas: a waiting area, exam rooms, the lab that will test for cervical cancer among other things, and a dental, optical, and procedure room.

The second floor recently received finishing touches. There are two apartments for future full-time doctors on staff. One apartment has three bedrooms, and the other has two bedrooms, both with a bathroom, living room, and kitchen: everything our doctors will need. 

Now that we have the physical building, the next steps are landscaping outside and getting the clinic up and running. None of this would be possible without your incredibly generous support. As we look to the future, we hope to see all Dominicans living happy and healthy lives. Thank you so much for supporting us in this mission!