A community-focused back-to-school outreach initiative led by the Church of God in Christ at its Brittons Hill facility on Layne’s Road is delivering critical preventive health services to hundreds of school-aged children across Barbados. In a collaborative partnership with the island’s Ministry of Health and Wellness and the community-focused One Family Programme, 289 registered students have accessed a full suite of services including routine vaccinations, comprehensive health screenings, dental check-ups and eye examinations ahead of the new academic year.
Speaking with local outlet Barbados TODAY during Saturday’s event, Bishop Paul L. Fortson, head of the Church of God in Christ for Barbados and the Caribbean, noted that the organization has operated in the country for 27 years, and this year’s project marked a deliberate expansion of the church’s longstanding community outreach work. “This year, we chose to take the initiative to another level, to meet growing demand for accessible preventive health services for local families,” Fortson shared.
Diane VanDyke, supervisor of the Barbados and Caribbean Jurisdiction Department of Women, framed the event as a fulfillment of the church’s community mission. She expressed excitement about the impact of the work, saying: “It’s a true blessing to be able to provide these much-needed services for families across our communities, and to lift up these children as they prepare to head back to the classroom.”
VanDyke credited the success of the initiative to coordinated cross-sector support, noting that clinical services were delivered entirely through the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ clinical teams, while additional backing came from program partners including the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust and the One Family Programme.
Donna Barker, senior health promotion officer with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, confirmed this is the second time the government body has partnered with the Church of God in Christ’s Barbados District on this back-to-school health effort. She explained that the services address a critical gap in preventive care: “We’ve seen a steady stream of parents and children coming through the event all day, and these screenings are so important to track that children are hitting their developmental milestones on schedule.”
Barker emphasized that early detection is key to addressing common childhood health issues that can impact academic performance, from uncorrected vision impairments to undiagnosed dental diseases and cavities. Catching these conditions early allows families to access follow-up care before issues worsen and interfere with a child’s ability to learn and participate in school activities, she added.