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The Lowndes County Area Chamber of Commerce (LCACOC) held its regular monthly meeting on Nov. 9 to discuss healthcare issues which represent one of the six essentials of community and economic development. The meeting was held at Deepwood Restaurant, otherwise known as Mary’s Café, in Hayneville. 

According to chamber president Dr. Ozelle Hubert, a special guest speaker emphasized the importance of available local health care options.

 “Pastor Danny Whitehead, Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, came to further discuss our proposed project, The Jonathan Myrick Daniels Memorial Medical Center (JMDMMC),” Hubert said. “It is an out-patient Ambulatory Care Center providing centralized primary medical care with a specialty clinic.”

The proposed medical center would provide care such as nephrology, cardiology, urology and endocrinology with medical and diagnostic services, and would feature extended hours seven days per week. 

According to Hubert, the medical center would also feature an urgent care unit, renal dialysis, medical transportation and emergency medical services (EMS) with four ambulances – two in Hayneville, one in Fort Deposit and one in White Hall. 

Hubert said the project is one step in the right direction for community and economic development in the Lowndes County area.

“The JMDMMC would serve as a rural healthcare teaching and affiliate facility for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, public health students and other allied health professionals,” Hubert said. “This facility will serve as a prototype for rural healthcare communities in the United States such as the Black Belt and Delta Region.”

Hubert explained that the other five essentials of community and economic development including education and workforce development, housing development, infrastructure, regulatory and residents, will be topics of discussion for the upcoming 2024 meetings.

The Chamber will hold their next regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday Dec. 14 at Deepwood Restaurant. This meeting will focus on the 2023 LCACOC annual award breakfast which features sponsors such as Hayneville Subway owner Kelvin Lawrence, Hayneville Lowndes Package Store and U.S. Hwy. 80 Marathon Service Station owner Maulik Petel. 

During the meeting, chamber members will also discuss the Veterans Award, Citizenship Award, and Students Award for The Calhoun School, Central High School and Lowndes Academy, as well as a higher education and a community association or organization Service Award.   

For further Information, interested individuals should contact Dr. Ozelle Hubert by phone at 251-387-0357 or e-mail at dochubert7@gmail.