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North Shore-LIJ Mobile Medical Van Brings Health Care To Storm-Ravaged Communities

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Residents in some of the hardest hit areas are still struggling to get life back to normal after superstorm Sandy.

In devastated communities like Broad Channel, some are finding it nearly impossible to seek medical attention. So hospitals are financing new ways to treat those in need.

WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reports

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The North Shore-LIJ mobile medical van made a stop in Broad Channel on Wednesday to help bring medical care to those affected.

"We can put stitches in, we can take stitches out. We can give antibiotics, we can give prescriptions, we can triage," Dr. Maria Carney told WCBS 880's Marla Diamond.

Carney said there is a great need for these types of mobile health facilities in storm-ravaged areas still recovering.

"The access to care is limited, it's been interrupted, doctor's offices were flooded," she said.

Charlotte Kinneray's 4-year-old daughter screamed and cried as she had stitches removed from her thumb in the mobile medical van.

"It's funny because it's not her normal behavior but we've been so displaced that she's a little out of sorts," Kinneray told Diamond.

Other residents who came to the van said they were thankful to finally get some medical attention.

"I mean, I went in there and he was looking at me like I needed to go to the hospital but he calmed me right down, he gave me my medication because my house was looted," one woman told Diamond.

Carney said doctors are seeing a second wave of injuries from the storm like lacerations, lung infections and depression.

The mobile medical van will be back on Cross Bay Boulevard on Friday and then move to hard-hit Long Beach to offer medical care.

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