After many months of planning and hard work, the People’s Clinic – your clinic – is a reality. The clinic opened its doors on Thursday, June 15, 1972 at 6:30 p.m. at 6010 Kingsbury. Basically serving the residents of this community, the Loop area and the far West End the clinic also serves residents living outside the areas mentioned.
Health care at the clinic was initially available on Monday and Thursday from 6:30 p. m. to 9:30 p.m., and a well baby clinic is open on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month from 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Response to this initial venture has been so good that on October 11 the clinic expanded services to Wednesday from 6:30 p.m – 9:00 p.m. to provide general medical care.
Believing that adequate health care is a basic human right, Community Collectives members, the Medical Committee for Human Rights, West End and Loop area residents, medical and nursing students, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, medical technicians and social workers have banded together to give the patrons of the People’s Clinic the professional medical attention which they need and deserve.
The People’s Clinic is not an alternative to the hospital, but a model for new ways of dealing with the concepts of control, financing and profit in health service. It was conceived and established for the people of the community and can only exist with the community’s help. Ideally, the People’s Clinic would like to be a free clinic, but realistically, that is impossible. Although some equipment and medications are given to the clinic, rent, utilities and some supplies and equipment must be paid for. Until a better solution is reached, donations are necessary. Those who are unable to donate money are asked to donate time and/or supplies. Paper towels, soap, cleaning solutions, toilet paper, etc. are always needed.
The clinic does have some fund raising projects to help with expenses. A recent street festival and open-house were very successful, and another street festival is planned for October 28. Silk screened tee-shirts are available at .75 for children’s sizes and $1.25 for adult sizes. People’s Clinic” is printed on the front and “Health Care Is A Human Right” on the back. Paper drives and glass recycling also add to the clinic’s income. All donations are tax deductible.
For further information about The Loop West End People’s Clinic, come by 6010 Kingsbury or call 721-5577. Following is a schedule of clinic hours:
Sunday: 6 p.m. co-ordinating committee meeting Sunday: 7:30 p.m. general meeting alternated with political education meeting
Monday: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Clinic night
2nd & 4th Tuesdays: 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. Well. Baby Clinic
Wednesday: 6:30-9:00 p.m. Clinic night
Thursday: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Clinic
Friday: Clinic closed
Saturday: Clinic closed
2nd Saturday, 10:00 a.m. General clean up.
Originally published in The Paper, October–November 1972.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1972_10.pdf, printed page 6.
