A mobile health clinic of the University of Arizona (UA) is assisting to bring medical care to the Mexican nationals residing in underrepresented communities in Maricopa County.

The UA van, dubbed "Juntos por la Salud," or "Together for Health," was providing health-care services from the parking lot at St. Margaret Catholic Church in Tempe.

The service serves around 50 patients a day, but the number can fluctuate according to the weather conditions and the timings of the event.

The Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health of the University of Arizona works with the  U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission on the effort. The initiative offers services such as, screenings for diabetes, hypertension flu vaccines and preventative health-care tips to residents of the lower-income communities across the county.

The bi-national Border Health Commission provided grant to build $199,000 van and a $304,200 fund for its operation.

Cecilia Rosales, the school's assistant dean, said that, "We target communities that we know are not insured or are under insured."  "We completed a community-health assessment of Maricopa County, saw the income levels in different areas, and chose our locations based on that," Rosales said.

Marlina Mazyck (24) a nursing student pursuing her master's degree and worked at the clinic for class credit in the spring, said that, "I like being outside of the hospital.

"You get great experience in the hospital, but this allows you to do more hands-on and to get to know the community more."

"Our primary mission is to make people aware that they have a right to these services in their own community, regardless of their income," Rosales said.

The mobile health unit travels among four different Valley locations, visiting each at least once a month.

The locations are:

East Side Clinic, 400 N. 30th St., Phoenix.

South Side Clinic,1418 S. 17th Ave., Phoenix.

Puente Clinic, 1937 W. Adams St., Phoenix.

Mesa Clinic, 2435 E. McArthur Drive, Tempe.

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Nandini