WHEELING — Wheeling Health Right’s mobile unit will be on the road two extra days each month courtesy of the Ohio County Commission.

Commissioners recently passed a motion to provide funding that will bring the mobile unit to more Ohio County communities on a rotating basis. It costs $1,523 a day to take the mobile unit on the road, and the county will assume the extra cost of $33,552 annually.

Kathie Brown, executive director of Wheeling Health Right, told commissioners the unit presently goes out each Thursday to provide care in local communities.

It is presently designated to go somewhere in Ohio County on the first Thursday of each month, and to Marshall County locations on the second Thursday.

It was going to Brooke County on the third Thursday, but that will change in January, according to Brown. Instead, it will start going to the Hil-Dar public housing development on the third Thursday of each month.

The fourth Thursday the mobile unit visits Wetzel County.

Mobile health service in Brooke County “has not taken off,” she said.

“But in Wetzel, Marshall and Ohio counties, there are appointments and things are starting to come together,” Brown continued. “We have talked to Hil-Dar, and they are very anxious for us to come there. There are many residents who don’t get out at all.

“We’re going to make a big celebration the first Thursday we go — which is Jan. 16. We encourage the people who live there to get involved and to take advantage of what we have to offer.”

Brown told commissioners Wheeling Health Right’s ultimate goal is to have the mobile unit on the road three days a week while concentrating on Ohio County.

Many of the county’s residents can’t easily get to Wheeling Health Right’s clinic on 29th Street in Wheeling.

“It’s difficult; it really is,” she said. “Anytime we can take our services to them, it works really well.”

Commissioner Zach Abraham, though, said expanding the service by two days a week would require too much of a commitment by commissioners to start.

“I think we should start at two days a month,” he suggested. “Everybody agrees it’s a good project, but we have to find how we are going to reduce someplace else first.”

Brown indicated she was happy for any additional support.

“Even two extra days a month is important. Everytime we can get out in the community as opposed to them coming to us is important,” she said. “We’ve given a tremendous amount of flu shots and COVID vaccines. We’re giving out COVID testing and the masks.

“Even when they don’t have an appointment, we’re involving the community and getting them to come in. People from all walks of life are coming to get their flu shots. It’s not just Health Right patients.”

Commissioner Randy Wharton asked if she had asked the city of Wheeling to support the mobile unit.

Brown said she hadn’t, but that the city does provide HealthRight $25,000 through a community development block grant.

She told them the two extra days a month in Ohio County communities was “perfectly reasonable,” and she would rotate the schedule to accommodate communities.