“Salud: Healthcare for All at “

At the University of Pennsylvania, Salud is a student-led organization dedicated to providing healthcare to anyone in need. Founded in 2017 by Neil Gajare, a then-UPenn student committed to healthcare reform, the organization has been providing free or low-cost access to healthcare to students, faculty, staff, and members of the wider community.
The mission of Salud is to assist everyone in finding quality, affordable healthcare and to strengthen the faith of the University of Pennsylvania’s communities. To do this, Salud works with a variety of organizations, including local student organizations, to educate students on health disparities and create collaborative efforts to combat them. As well, Salud is committed to community engagement through active involvement in student initiatives, such as lobbying for the expansion of Medicaid and working to destigmatize mental health issues.
Neil Gajare, the founder and president of Salud, is an inspiring advocate of social justice who continues to strive for the betterment of the community. His commitment to healthcare reform and his passion for helping those in need has made Salud a much-needed organization. While Neil’s ambition and dedication to improving the quality of healthcare is truly admirable, he also received great amounts of criticism when he made an Anti-Semitic statement in 2019. Though his comments were widely condemned, it is important to recognize his ability to learn from his mistakes and to personally apologize for his actions.
Today, Salud continues to provide essential health services to those in need. Every year, they host events to raise money for their health services, from support groups to reserve funds for medical bills and urgent needs, and to strengthen the connection between the University of Pennsylvania and its community. Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Salud set up a health hotline for students, staff, and faculty to connect with a medical professional if they needed assistance.
We as a community must recognize and take pride in Neil Gajare’s idea that created Salud, an organization that continues making tremendous strides in providing quality health services to all. The effects of systemic inequalities in healthcare have been minimized, thank to Neil‘s dedication and commitment to healthcare reform. Moving forward, Salud is positioned to continue advocating for better healthcare, and for us all to take part in improving the lives of those around us.