Residents of Antigua and Barbuda will soon have access to a full suite of free health screenings, social service resources, and professional guidance at an upcoming community Health and Wellness Fair, organized by the national Labour Department. Scheduled for Friday, June 12, the day-long public event will bring together a coalition of eight government bodies and non-profit service providers, all opening up their services to people of every age group at no cost.
The fair will operate from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. along the high-traffic corridor of Thames Street, a central location designed to maximize accessibility for local residents. Clinical services will lead the offerings: the Ministry of Health and Medical Benefits will administer a full range of complimentary general health screenings, while the national AIDS Secretariat will bring confidential HIV testing and personalized counseling for attendees seeking information or support.
Beyond core medical services, the event will address a wide range of pressing social and public health issues. SPARC, the national Substance Prevention, Advocacy, Resources and Counseling organization, will share evidence-based information and guidance for both substance abuse prevention and accessing evidence-based treatment programs. The national Human Trafficking Task Force will also set up a booth to conduct community outreach, raising public awareness of human trafficking risks and sharing information on how to report and prevent exploitation.
Economic and regulatory resources will also be on hand for attendees. The Antigua and Barbuda Social Security Board will deploy representatives to walk residents through their existing benefit entitlements and connect eligible community members with underutilized public resources. Officers from the host Labour Department and national Immigration Department will also be on site to answer questions, provide guidance, and resolve concerns related to labour regulations, workplace rights, and a wide range of immigration-related matters.
Event organizers note that the cross-agency fair is built around three core goals: encouraging the broader public to adopt sustainable, healthier daily habits, closing information gaps around the full scope of public and non-profit social services already available to residents, and forging direct, personal connections between community members and the agencies that exist to support them. Admission to the entire event is completely free, and organizers are actively encouraging all community members to take advantage of the range of screenings, one-on-one consultations, and educational resources available throughout the day.