South LA residents rally to protect funding for community clinics

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Thousands of South LA residents rely on government funded health care. But some of that funding may be in jeopardy. South LA patients, healthcare workers and residents gathered last night at the child and family resource and development center. It's part of a push to protect community clinics.

A crowd of some 300 people enthusiastically responded to county supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas as he urged them to fight for health care in their neighborhoods.

The event marked the launch of a campaign to pressure the county board of supervisors to extend community health clinic funding when it comes to vote in January.

Ridley-Thomas told the packed room that the cuts would make health care more expensive for thousands of South LA residents, and he pledged to protect the clinic funding.

"We are not prepared to allow any of our programs to be defunded," Ridley-Thomas said. "In other words, we need all of what we have and then some, because frankly in South Los Angeles we are over due. Somebody ought to say overdue!"

If funding is cut, residents in South LA will be disproportionately hurt. Marlene Brand, a mammogram technician, said cuts would make health epidemics that are already more prevalent in South LA worse - health problems such as heart disease and diabetes.

"I believe that everyone has a right to get their medicine no matter what your income level is, your education level is," she said. "This about it that it could be your mom, your sister, your uncle, it could be someone in your family. Would you want to see them waste away or die because they don't have money?"

For many, losing health coverage means less food on the table. Hattie Walker's daughter has downs syndrome and autism. She depends on the clinics.

"It's horrible, it's already up high enough for me. I'm barely making it from check to check," she said. "But we all need health care, so I don't really have a choice."

About 70 percent of South LA residents are without private health coverage. If funds are cut, South Los Angeles clinics stand to lose $11 million.