They came to the Bay Area last year.
In April of 2011, Remote Area Medical (RAM) with hosts The California Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and the TZU Chi Foundation provided free health care clinics to the communities and surrounding areas of Sacramento and Oakland. These were RAM's 639th and 640th expeditions and the fourth expedition in California.
And, as I noted back then, were kinda popular:
They're Waiting 15 Hours Outside to Get Their Kids a Few Minutes of Health Care.
Now they're here again. Starting tomorrow. Remote Area Medical (RAM). The people who organize free medical, dental and vision clinics around the country. The people who shouldn't have to be doing what they are doing, but do it anyway. Because our Senators and Congresspeople can't come up with a health care system that works. Because our State Senators and Assemblypeople are too cowardly to vote for a law that guarantees universal coverage to all Californians. Because our country is so unbelievably snafu'ed that we allow ourselves to live with a system that fails the neediest and has the potential to cripple all but the fabled one percent.
On March 22nd through March 25th, the Remote Area Medical (RAM) Foundation will be providing free medical services at the Oakland Coliseum -- including dental and vision services.
Just a part of a RAM dental clinic: Would you like novocaine with that?
They are so popular that they have to be cruel to be kind, asking people to be in line in the middle of the night, and in reality people show up the night before and stay overnight to insure that they will be able to see someone the next day.
RAM intends to help everyone they can however we are limited by time, space, number of professional volunteers, and supplies. Because the services are free we expect thousands to show up. These services are provided on a first come first served basis.
Starting at 3:30am on each of these days, they will begin issuing numbers on a first-come, first-serve basis and begin calling numbers at 5:30am. Volunteers will then provide medical services, with no questions about insurance, all day long.
More information about the Oakland clinic
here (pdf). (They will be in Sacramento next weekend.)
You can donate to keep them going.
And most importantly at this moment, if you know someone in desperate need of their medical, dental, or vision services who lives in the Bay Area or near Sacramento, you can
Tell Them About The Clinic!
Just make sure they get there early. Really early.