Howard President Briefs Clergy

On Friday, 17 February 2006, H. Patrick Swygert, President of Howard University, hosted a meeting of clergy from across the City to brief them upon and seek their support for the proposed National Capital Medical Center. President Swygert confirmed the University’s full support for moving forward with this endeavor. Furthermore, he provided the ministers with the basis for Howard University accepting the City’s invitation to enter into this partnership to enhance the delivery of healthcare to the residents of the District of Columbia.

Clergy attended included:

• Metropolitan Wesley AME Zion Church
• Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church
• Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church
• Lincoln Congregational Temple United Church of Christ
• Pilgrim AME Church
• Masjid Muhammad
• Third Street Church of God
• Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ
• Faith Tabernacle of Prayer
• Florida Avenue Baptist Church
• Berean Baptist Church
• Faith United Church of Christ
• All Nations Baptist Church
• Union Temple Baptist Church

Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray joined President Swygert in briefing the ministers. The Councilmember informed those in attendance of the need for increased health services to serve the population in the District but particularly to serve citizens in the eastern quadrants of Washington. Moreover, Councilmember Gray reviewed the history of the Council directing and endorsing the concept of a full-service, 200-bed hospital with a Level-1 trauma center beginning in 2003.

During the Q&A section of the meeting, many of the ministers voiced support for the NCMC and requested information to be distributed to members of their communities. They also stated they may attend the Council hearings in March 2006 to lend their voices to this project.