'This is wonderful': Lower Sackville walk-in clinic reopens

A Lower Sackville, N.S., walk-in clinic that closed in late April because of a doctor shortage has reopened and the new manager is trying to get the word out.

The new Cobequid Health Clinic occupies the space formerly held by the Community Care Walk-in Clinic, above the Lawton's drug store on Cobequid Road.

"The biggest drive was public demand," said Dr. Mohamed Alzrighe, a family doctor and the new manager of the clinic.

Alzrighe said he was approached by his landlord at his clinic in Dartmouth about taking over the Lower Sackville clinic.

"I have met with the previous clinic operators, the owners who are physicians as well, and we came to agreement to give it a try," he said. "I talked to some of my colleagues and they were interested to go ahead and help out."

The former clinic was a fairly busy spot while open. It clocked 20,000 visits last year and most of the people coming in either didn't have a family doctor or weren't able to see their family doctor.

The clinic officially reopened on July 8 and Alzrighe said he's working to spread the word.

At the moment, the clinic is open on weekends and some week nights — but Alzrighe said he's working to get more doctors in to cover more shifts in September.

"Because of the doctor shortage we have to start at a very small number of days doing part time and build it up as we go," he said.

On Saturday morning, there were only a handful of patients waiting to see a doctor.

Josie Porter lives in the area. She said she was glad to see the clinic back in business.

"This is wonderful and it's close by. I didn't have to go into the city or go to [emergency] yet again to get a doctor," Porter said.