AdvantageCare Physicians Bring Vision and Hope to Haiti

Contact:

Alex Gomez | Email: algomez@emblemhealth.com

Kwame Patterson | Email: kpatterson@emblemhealth.com

New York, NY - Ophthalmology specialists from AdvantageCare Physicians (ACPNY), one of the largest primary and specialty care practices in New York City, traveled to Haiti in July on a medical mission of mercy. Doctors Anika Michael and Benjeil Edghill spent a five-day care mission in the Caribbean country, where they evaluated and treated more than 400 patients and completed approximately 90 surgeries.

"We are proud of Dr. Michael and Dr. Edghill for their outstanding charitable work and sense of compassion both at home and abroad," said Dr. Navarra Rodriguez, M.D., President & Chief Medical Officer of ACPNY. "Extending empathy, clinical services, and a sense of global community is how many of ACPNY's medical team members give back and stand out."

Given the infrastructure challenges and political turmoil Haiti has faced, access to medical care, especially ophthalmology, is often limited.  Over the last fifteen years, Dr. Michael has engaged in these twice-yearly missions to the country to provide life-changing patient sight-restoring procedures, including cataract surgeries.

Among the many stories the doctors shared from their latest visit was one of a young man in his thirties who came from over four hours (by car) away but arrived too late for that day's clinic. Rather than turn back, he decided to stay overnight and camped on a bench to be first in line for the following day's clinic. The ACPNY team returned his sight that same morning upon examination and treatment. Before this visit, the gentleman was blind for three years after suffering a work-related injury.

"It's stories like this that make all the hard work worth it," said Dr. Anika Michael, M.D. ACPNY Ophthalmologist. "In the face of the pandemic, natural disasters, and political turmoil, seeing such resilience in the people of Haiti fills me with hope for the future." 

"The reward of making an impact has me excited to go back," said Dr. Benjeil Edghill, M.D. ACPNY Ophthalmologist who made the trip for the fourth time this year. "We are not only returning the sight of our patients, but we are also giving them and their caretakers their lives back."

For more information on care services provided by ACPNY, please visit the website ACPNY.com.

About ACPNY

AdvantageCare Physicians, one of the largest primary and specialty care practices in the New York area, provides quality, personalized care that is focused on the whole patient. With more than 40 medical offices across the five boroughs and Long Island, serving more than half a million patients, including 120,000 Medicaid members, AdvantageCare Physicians takes a team-based approach to care where physicians work with nurses, social workers, nutritionists, behavioral health specialists and other professionals. Visit www.acpny.com to learn more.