JFK University Medical Center Launches South Asian Community Health Initiative Program at Inaugural Health Fair

June 16, 2023 – Edison, NJ – On Saturday, May 20, Hackensack Meridian JFK University Medical Center hosted its inaugural South Asian Community Health Initiative Health Fair to launch the medical center’s new program focused on improving the health and wellbeing of the south Asian community in and around Edison, NJ. The program, which will span five years, will offer health fairs on a quarterly basis to address health inequities within this growing population.

“Middlesex County has the largest Asian population in the State of New Jersey with nearly 240,000 residents,” said Amie Thorton, president and chief hospital executive at JFK University Medical Center. “Our South Asian Community Health Initiative will enable us to address the unique health challenges faced within this community and ensure these residents have access to quality care, culturally appropriate medical support and resources right within their community.”

The Asian population is the fastest growing, yet most understudied, minority group in the United States at 23 million people, having grown 26% from 2010-2019. Less than 1% of research funding from the National Institutes for Health in the last 10 years was focused on Asian populations in the United States. 

The inaugural health fair brought together physicians and other health care professionals from JFK University Medical Center to offer health screenings customized for the South Asian community – including heart disease, diabetes and stroke risk – and their specific cultural needs. 

“The findings from our first health fair were staggering,” says Srikanth Jaikumar, vice president of Operations at JFK University Medical Center, who is leading the initiative. “Out of the 200 screenings, 50% had out of range blood pressure, 80% of attendees had an elevated glucose reading and 36.5% of attendees screened are at a high risk for stroke, just to name a few of the results that were uncovered. Identifying and helping those most at risk for severe medical conditions is vital to a healthy community, which is why this program is so important.”

The health fairs will be philanthropically supported by Hackensack Meridian JFK University Medical Center Foundation. To learn how you can support this critical program, contact Sheri Marino, executive director, at [email protected]. 

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN JFK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
Serving residents of central New Jersey for more than 50 years, JFK University Medical Center offers a complete array of advanced services in its 498-bed facility located in Edison, N.J. With more than 1,000 affiliated physicians, this academic medical center offers a complete spectrum of advanced services including general and specialized surgery, cardiac care, maternity and pediatrics, oncology, imaging, breast center, sleep center, wound care, robotic surgery, emergency medicine, weight loss surgery, radiology, long-term care and assisted living. It is home to the world-renowned Neuroscience Institute that diagnoses and treats brain, spine and nervous system disorders. To learn more, visit JFKMC.org.