The Wake County Southern Regional Center Clinic has been closed since the Covid-19 Pandemic, limiting Fuquay Varina resident’s options when they wish to go to a health clinic. But, as of March 4, 2024, the clinic has begun to remove the barriers that had been previously put up.

When the clinic closed, Fuquay Varina residents were forced to travel nearly half an hour to the nearest health clinic in Raleigh. This caused several issues as the clinic is located in an area where many people are below the poverty line and can’t afford to travel to a clinic where they won’t have insurance. 

“Getting to Raleigh now with the traffic, the population increase, it’s as hard as ever,” said Richard Hayner, the director of WCSRCC, via ABC. 

The closing also created issues regarding insurance as the WCSRCC is located in an area where 6.4 percent of people under the age of 65 do not have insurance, raising the cost of healthcare for these citizens greatly. 

The reopening of the clinic brought joy to many residents as it alleviated the hassle of the commute to Raleigh to get the necessary healthcare that a clinic provides. Parents are overjoyed that their children will be able to attend a clinic much closer to them.

“We’re taking away some barriers, transportation barriers, time barriers, having to take more time off work to travel all the way to Raleigh and now it’s available here,” said Dr. Adeola Oluwase via ABC.

The WCSRCC offers several services ranging from pediatrics to family planning and birth control, which is medical care necessary for a wide range of residents in the Wake County area. The clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8:15 a.m. – 5 p.m. to provide these services.

Hopefully, the reopening of this clinic will offer relief to citizens in the county who had struggled with the closing of the clinic during the pandemic, by allowing easier access to the medical care that is necessary for a strong community.