Thousands receive screenings at 16th Annual Minority Health Fair

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Thousands received health screenings on Saturday at the 16th annual Minority Health Fair.

Organizers say the focus of the event is to know your numbers.

More than 60 UTC nursing students along with other organizations helped thousands do just that.

For 16 years, the Minority Health Fair has been providing the community with annual check up to “Close the Gap” in the health disparities for specifically minority communities.

At the event, Chattanooga Mayor Berke said, “We come out here and we find new ways
to keep ourselves healthy, we build a better city. ”

Mayor Andy Berke addressed the crowd at the event as well.

While some come and get valuable information, others say it’s about the fellowship as well.

Chattanooga City Councilman Erskine Oglesby was also at the event. He said, “The great thing about it, it’s a social setting. It’s almost like a family reunion where people look forward to it every year for the past 16 years to come out and participate in this event and that’s what makes me so excited about it as a City Councilman.”

The event has grown to include several african american fraternieties and small businesses, but Chris Ramsey explains that he remembers a time where they were only providing one screening.

“The men of Kappa Alpha psi and Omega psi phi we started by doing prostate exams and now we are going to see over thousand, over 5000 people will be here today. We have over 125 vendors and all of the services are absolutely free,” Ramsey said.

One small business called Perfect Portions was also helping people find out how to meal plan to reach their health goals.

Ramsey says they’ve heard powerful testimony from people who found out their numbers or learned something new and that one thing saved their life.