Insult to injury

Regarding Barry Saunders' Oct. 12 column in which he included an off-hand comment about our free-clinic clients: "Don't touch -- at least not if you value your health."

Wake County has 100,000 adult residents without health insurance. Most are part of a working family, and despite their financial troubles, do not qualify for Medicaid (which also requires disability or parent status, even for the very poorest). Of course, many have important need for medical attention, for the costly demands of diabetes, epilepsy or even just high blood pressure. Our agency is proud to be part of a rather thread-bare local network of mostly volunteer providers where such patients can get primary care, specialty referrals and ongoing medications.

Our clinic is not merely lifesaving to the patients who need it. It is also a wonderfully designed, newly redecorated, well-lit and quite attractive facility, where our patients are treated as customers and adults, and where contagious disease is no more likely than in any other clinical site.

Our indignation at Saunders' mean-spirited remark is because we know that our clients are no different from patients in other situations and that they need no cruel insults targeted at them because of their need for our help.

Gary Greenberg, M.D.

Medical director, Open Door Clinic

Raleigh