Carmiel has a population of 50,000 (40% immigrants) and is planned to double in size over the next decade.
Sahnin is a disadvantaged Arab-Israeli town 7km south of Carmiel. Of the 26,000 residents, 94% are Muslim and 6% are Christian.
Nazareth Illit is situated just north of the Arab city of Nazareth and the population of 40,000 is 87% Jewish, including many Russian immigrants, and 13% Arab-Israeli.
The Center receives over 40 clients a month on issues concerning rights to health care and other citizen rights matters. Center staff travel to each of the three Mobile Center hubs at the same time each week and meet at a fixed address. In each of the hubs, the staff have connections with local government and other agencies such as the local courts, local National Insurance Institute offices, banks and employment agencies. The Center is directed by Carmiel resident, Irena Luria.
Mobile Health Days
The Mobile Center runs "Health Days" in peripheral cities all over Israel with the goal of exposing residents to preventive medicine through a wide variety of health exams including blood pressure, BMI, and sucrose and cholesterol levels.
In 2010, the Mobile Health & Rights Center ran 53 Health Days in 36 different locations across Israel from Kiryat Shmona in the north down to Rahat in the south. A total of 2,134 residents of these towns and cities received free health checks.
Through providing routine health exams, dozens of low-income individuals, mostly elderly, are diagnosed with high blood pressure and immediately referred to their family doctors for continued care. Volunteers from the Mobile Center follow up with these clients to ensure that they receive the medical care they require.
The Mobile Health Rights Center is funded by
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd.
and the Israel Ministry of Health
