In 2012, Hurricane Sandy struck the north eastern United States. It was one of the largest Atlantic hurricanes on record, killing 233 people in its wake and costing billions of dollars worth of damage to infrastructure.
Doctors of the World USA, based in New York City, quickly mobilized after the storm to assess the disruption to healthcare services in the city.
In the Rockaways, Queens we found hundreds of individuals unable to obtain medical supplies and unable to access much-needed prescription medications to treat serious chronic illnesses.
The Rockaways, an isolated area of New York City with high rates of poverty and chronic disease, had long been plagued by inadequate health services, but the situation became significantly worse after Hurricane Sandy.
We began conducting emergency home visits in the months following the hurricane. In order to address the long term medical needs of the Rockaway community, we opened a free healthcare clinic in October 2013 to offer primary care to those in need – regardless of their insurance or immigration status. We served 250 patients, connecting them to our volunteer doctors, and received over 700 visits.
Read our assessment of health needs in the Rockaways.