Free clinic planned Thursday in Salisbury neighborhood

SALISBURY, Md. – The Wicomico County Health Department is hosting a free health clinic Thursday. Officials say it is all in effort to reach more people in the community. The clinic will be held in the Grace United Methodist Church parking lot on Church Street.

The Health Department will be offering things like flu shots and blood pressure checks, plus rapid HIV and syphilis testing. Officials say people in different communities sometimes can’t get the services they need, blaming transportation or language barriers. Organizers promise they will have bilingual staff available Thursday and also a discreet way to handle each patient.

Community Health Program Manager Susan Benton explains, “There is a stigma about being tested for certain STDs. That’s why we’re trying to combine it with a lot of other information and flu shots and education, to help decrease that stigma, so everyone can kind of join in and get the services they need.”

If they aren’t able to help you at the event, officials will refer you to someone who can. You don’t need to bring anything with you, you will just have to give your name and birthday.

The free clinic runs Thursday from 12:30PM to 3:30PM.