Vidant Health is reaching out to the Beaufort County area by offering free health care screenings in Belhaven, Aurora and Washington.

“Regular health exams and tests can find problems before they start. Monitoring blood pressure, blood glucose, body mass index and cholesterol are some simple steps that people in eastern North Carolina can take to help identify heart disease, diabetes and other underlying health conditions early,” said Dr. Mark Rumans, chief medical officer at Vidant Health.

According to a press release, the screenings are for a variety of health matters, including cholesterol, blood pressure, blood glucose, body mass index and breast health.

The upcoming screenings are scheduled as follows: A free health screening on Oct. 2 in Washington from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Pamlico Plaza; a free breast exam or screening on Oct. 10 in Washington at Vidant Women’s Care from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.; a free health screening at Darleen’s Flamingo 5K in Belhaven on Oct. 17; a free breast screening on Oct. 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Vidant Family Medicine, Allen Street in Belhaven and a free breast screening on Oct. 21 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Vidant Family Medicine, Aurora.

The emphasis on breast exams and screenings coincides with the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

According to Rumans, the events in Belhaven are, in part, a way to provide medical care to Belhaven, in light of the state of health care in the town since its hospital’s closure.

Vidant Pungo Hospital closed its doors in 2014, and the medical company has since been running three health clinics in the town to help accommodate medical needs. Vidant is also in the process of building a 24-hour multispecialty clinic to combine all of the clinics under one roof, despite outcry from many Belhaven residents emphasizing the need for the reopening of the hospital.

The town is working to obtain the hospital property under eminent domain as well as lock in a federal loan to help with the costs of reopening the facility.