BUFFALO, N.Y.
'Don't shut down our clinic'
By Bev Hiestand and Julius Dykes
Buffalo, N.Y.
A May 21 rally to save a local health clinic in a poor
community drew those who cared most about the facility. The
crowd that assembled to demand that the Kaleida Health Corp.
keep the clinic open reflected the diversity of those who
depend on it: African American, Asian, Latino and white
families. Ages ranged from babies in strollers to grandmothers.
Members of Nurses United from Local 1168 of CWA also turned out
to offer their support.
They all articulated one message: "Keep the Upper West Side
Family Health Center open in our community."
Kaleida is the largest health care corporation in Western
New York. Since it consolidated previously independent
hospitals and health care services, Kaleida has attempted to
reduce its costs through downsizing, layoffs and proposing
closing of "nonprofitable" facilities.
Most recently, a successful campaign prevented Kaleida from
closing Children's Hospital here, a facility that offers the
most comprehensive pediatric care in the region. A
demonstration to block the closure drew 25,000 people.
Now Kaleida bosses want to close the Upper West Side Family
Health Center and move its services to the Niagara Family
Health Services Clinic located in another community.
Workers World spoke to protesters at the May 21 rally about
why they felt it was so urgent to save the center. Several
people stressed that the facility offers culturally sensitive
care and treatment that is accessible to people who have no
transportation.
One woman noted, "Staff treat people like family. They know
us on a first-name basis. And we all feel very comfortable with
them. We do not want this taken away."
A Latina with two small children said that when she had a
miscarriage in the middle of the night in her home, one of the
doctors came to her house to assist her.
Another Latina explained that although she doesn't live in
the neighborhood she travels to the clinic because of its
exceptional care.
An elderly white woman stressed, "Some people are too sick
to travel distances on buses. I am unable to climb the steps of
the buses. And I have trouble breathing when I walk."
Buses here are expensive and run infrequently due to recent
cutbacks. Many people have children at home who they have to
bring with them because daycare is priced out of reach. And
winter weather in Buffalo makes even short travel more
difficult for the ill, injured and disabled.
The buzz at the rally was: "What can we do next?" and
"When's the next action?" Their anger and determination were
apparent. They want to fight to keep their clinic open in their
neighborhood.
Reprinted from the June 6, 2002, issue of
Workers World newspaper
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
Email: ww@workers.org
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