Desperate call to save health clinics

Protesters made passionate calls to save two health clinics from the county executive's budget axe.

Chris Collins 2010 spending plan calls for primary care services to end at the county's two remaining health clinics on Broadway and William Street in Buffalo.

The proposed cuts prompted Tuesday's demonstration outside the Doctor Matt Gajewski Center on Broadway.

The county executive is proposing to transfer non-mandated clinical services to Sheehan Memorial Hospital.

However, those who rely on the clinics say relocating services puts lives at risk, noting many patients are low-income and have little means of transportation to seek health care elsewhere.

Irene Hawkesworth said, "If they move it, where are people gonna go? They're just gonna sit there and say 'oh, it's raining and I don't have bus fare. I can't get over there'. Where they gonna go?"

And Jules McCann exclaimed, "It's foolish! Plus it's a neighborhood health community. These are people that can't get insurance or can't get treated by anyone else. And, this is the front line against the spread of disease. It's a ludicrous decision. And I sometimes believe the best and the brightest aren't always the smartest."

Under the county executive's spending plan, some 49 jobs would be cut with the closings of the two health clinics.