BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A breath of relief is coming to Kern County as Clinica Sierra Vista opens its inaugural Pulmonology Center, designed to meet the rising demand for respiratory care throughout the region.
Located at 3801 San Dimas Street, the new facility becomes only the third pulmonology center in all of Kern County a critical addition in a community where respiratory illness is widespread.
Inside the 2,560-square-foot clinic, patients can now access specialized treatment for rare and chronic respiratory diseases.
One of those patients is Silvia Loera, a Bakersfield resident who has struggled with respiratory issues for years.
“I started with asthma and bronchitis, and now I’m on medicine for allergies,” Loera said.
For Dr. Hany Aziz, who has practiced in Bakersfield for nearly two decades, the center represents a long-awaited solution. He and a team of physicians launched the facility to support patients who often go undiagnosed or face long delays for specialist care.
“Kern County has a serious respiratory problem,” Dr. Aziz explained. “We see some of the highest Valley fever cases.”
The need for expanded care is driven in part by Kern County’s workforce. With thousands of residents employed in agriculture, oil fields, and other outdoor industries, dust exposure is constant heightening the risk of respiratory conditions.
According to the clinic, more than 100,000 Kern County residents are currently living with asthma, and over 2,000 Valley fever cases have been reported this year alone.
Meanwhile, long wait times for pulmonologists continue to affect families across the region.
“Parents driving hours for a specialist… seniors with COPD choosing between gas money and groceries… and farm workers with undiagnosed Valley fever,” Dr. Aziz said, describing the daily realities many patients face.
The new center aims to close that gap by offering accessible, affordable care — regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.
For Loera, the impact has already been life-changing.
“He’s a really nice doctor — very professional,” she said. “I like everything. Thanks to him, I’m healthy.”
Residents interested in affordable services can visit Clinica Sierra Vista’s website to explore available programs and appointments.
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