Mosque in Florida offers free medical care for the needy

Rasa - Giving back to the community, a Debary Islamic center in southeastern Florida US has opened a free health clinic to offer medical services for uninsured and needy people in the area.

News ID: 2594

Date: 26 May 2015 - 19:42

RNA - The clinic, which was opened on Sunday, will have doctors who will be available to see patients for a month, also will offer lab services and prescription assistance.

"We need to give back to the community,” Maryam Mosque President, Riaz Qureshi, said on Saturday.

"One of the teachings of Islam is: To serve almighty God is to serve humanity.

"This is one way of serving. There is a big medical need,” he added.

Qureshi was speaking about the free clinic that was opened at the two-year-old Islamic Center of Deltona in Debary.

For the mosque's 200 members, the free clinic is a way to correct misconceptions about Islam.

Addressing the diverse Muslims community of Debary, Qureshi said, “All Muslim community here come to pray together. People here are more educated and they want to live in peace."

It is noteworthy that American Muslims have launched earlier similar initiatives across the country. In 2010, a group of Ohio doctors opened the Noor Community Clinic, offering free medical check-ups and counseling for people without medical insurance or government help.

More than a decade since its establishment, University Muslim Medical Association (UMMA) is now serving about 16,000 US patients of all religious backgrounds.

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