First refugee women's health clinic opens in Arizona
Reported by: Susan Casper
Email: scasper@abc15.com
Last Update: 5:43 pm

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Most of the patients who come to Maricopa County's newest health care clinic are seeing a doctor for the very first time.

This lack of medical treatment is why the Refugee Women's Health Clinic is now offering services through the Women's Care Center in the Comprehensive Health Care Center building of the Maricopa Integrated Health Services.

"These women, they deserve to be helped," said RWHC Program Manager Jeanne Nizigiyimana.

A refugee herself from burundi, Nizigiyimana is now among the 3,000 refugees living in Phoenix and Tucson.

The families are from some of the poorest nations in the world including Somalia, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Iraq. Places where essential medical care is virtually non existant according to Nizigiyimana.

"The lifestyle here in America is financially demanding therefore they forget about themselves. All they think about is who will pay the bills."

The head of OB/GYN at the Maricopa Integrated Health System saw a need to reach out to the growing number of refugee women across the Valley. The hope is that these women will take advantage of the comprehensive services being offered at the RWHC including prenatal care, mental health and nutrition.

Program Director, Dr. Crista Johnson says the need is great. "There has been tremendous barriers not only here in Arizona but across the nation and worldwide in terms of striking fear and distrust of the health care system."

Dr. Johnson is an OB/GYN with an extensive knowledge and experience assisting immigrant and refugee women. She believes this clinic provides quality of care and cultural sensitivity women deserve.

"The lack of understanding women often come with different concepts of their bodies and disease," she said.

This clinic for regufee women is the first of its kind in the state and only second in the nation.

Staff members say appointments are already booked through March.

For appointments contact:
Refugee Women's Health Clinic
Comprehensive Healthcare Center
Women's Care Center, 2nd Floor
2525 E. Roosevelt Street
Phoenix, AZ 85008

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