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A Vison to Cure the World: AAPI President Hemant Patel

"Responding to an inner urge to be of service
to the sick, the needy, and the distressed,"

"The Federation of AAPI of Greater New York and New Jersey 12th Annual Gala Dinner at The Hyatt Regency in Jersey City NJ on Oct6th-07 , left to right New Jersey Assemblyman Upendra J. Chivukula ,Sandra Cunningham ,Dr. Vinod K. Shah Vice president, Dr. Ajeet Singhvi Secretary,Fred M Jacobs Commissioner New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services ,NJ State Senator Menendez ,National President Dr. Hemant Patel ,Congressman Frankpallone,President Elect Dr. Sanku Rao and Dr.Desai at right can be seen in pic...pic Mohammed Jaffer-SnapsIndia"

The Federation of AAPI of Greater New York and New Jersey 12th Annual Gala Dinner at The Hyatt Regency in Jersey City NJ on Oct6th-07 , left to right New Jersey Assemblyman Upendra J. Chivukula ,Sandra Cunningham ,Dr. Vinod K. Shah Vice president, Dr. Ajeet Singhvi Secretary,Fred M Jacobs Commissioner New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services ,NJ State Senator Menendez ,National President Dr. Hemant Patel ,Congressman Frankpallone,President Elect Dr. Sanku Rao and Dr.Desai at right can be seen in pic...pic Mohammed Jaffer-SnapsIndia.

Hemantkumar Patel, a rising leader among the over 40,000 Indian American Physicians, chose to be a healthcare provider. "Even as a student, I was distressed to see the pain and the suffering of the sick, and wanted to alleviate them," he recalls. Over the years, he has not only healed the sick and helping thousands live healthy lives, but, he has risen to be the president of the powerful the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), advocating for them with the government and working towards a healthy society for everyone to live in.

Before his election to the top position, Dr. Patel held several important positions in various medical organizations, where he proved to be an effective and skillful leader. His ability to organize, his perseverance and cheerful disposition have proven him to be a good leader who could command the respect of people of all shades of opinion.
He is a founding member of AAPI NJ/NY and initiated to expand its activities by opening up local chapters and elected as President of Essex County Chapter of AAPI. He was successful in raising five more local chapters and was reelected as the President for three consecutive years.

He started the Indo-US Cultural Society of New Jersey, served as President of the Medical Staff at Irwington General Hospital, Chairman of the Pulminary Care Division at the Hospital Center, Orange, NJ, and the Medical Director of three large Nursing Homes in New Jersey. All along he was also closely associated with the local Gujarati organizations in New Jersey and had held fundraisers for a number of good causes.
Dr. Patel believes that the physicians are a powerful and able group of professionals and should contribute even more. His vision for AAPI includes, increased membership through leadership; to be a strong advocacy group for physicians on Capitol Hill; Building partnerships and Alliances; Bridging Global Boundaries; and Propogating Women's Health Inititaives both in the US and India.

As president, Dr. Patel wants to continue expanding AAPI services and activities within the U.S.A. and also to improve and extend it in India to help those individuals and institutions who were combating to reduce the onslaught of serious diseases like cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular imbalances. Some of the initiatives he has undertaken are, his plan of action for AAPI Leadership Development; Build Innovative Partnerships and Alliances to keep up with the fast changing health technology and to initiate more vigorously advocacy for direct collective bargaining.

"Photo: AKMG Meeting in Cleveland OH"

Under his leadership. AAPI has planned a grand Indo-US Health Summit to be held in New Delhi in December this year for further boosting joint efforts between the two countries in the field of medicine and health care. Dr Patel said that AAPI has signed a MoU with the Indian government early this year during the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas celebrations for revamping rural health in India. It will also act as a milestone in growing relationship between the two countries in the health care arena. Dr Patel pointed out that AAPI has already collected data on the prevalence of diabetes in India through case studies at Karkadi, a village near Baroda- Gujarat and it reveals a relative high incidence of this disease among Indians which again is attributable to food habits.

The AAPI organized summit is expected to address the growing HIV/AIDS menace and improving rural health. AAPI has sought the help of the minister for ensuring a greater participation from organizations All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Indian Medical Association and health care personnel, including government officials. The idea of health summit is essentially AAPI's brain child and if it succeeds, it will be a forerunner of many such meets in the future.

While addressing the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, organised by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in New York, Dr. Patel said, AAPI "will train the trainees for screening diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and other ailments among the rural population.' Physicians will lead each team, implementing the program for a particular disease. Minor ailments will be referred to primary health centres (PHCs), major ones to district civil hospitals, and patients requiring specialised care will be sent to hospitals attached to medical colleges and research institutes, Dr. Patel said. "The fast growing IT and communication sector offers a tremendous opportunity to tap Indian Diaspora's combined knowledge to establish a link between AAPI and the primary health care system in India,' he added.

Photo : Womens Forum with Sunita Williams

The American Association of Physicians of Indian origin Medical Student/Resident/Fellow section (AAPI-MSRF), is another area, where Dr. Patel showed his leadership. It launched its nationwide professional networking series in New York City. On August 18th, 2007. AAPI-MSRF represents the collective interests of Indian medical students, residents and fellows nationwide. He has continued with his mission to reach out to the poor and the needy wherever they are. He has encouraged the charity wing of AAPI to respond to the needs of the times. For the last fifteen years, AAPI Charitable Foundation has provided continuous and necessary care for the sick and destitute through its fifteen clinics in rural and deprived areas throughout India, Dr. Patel said. It provides preventative immunizations, eye camps, and fixtures for the disabled, HIV care and other services to almost a million people.

"AAPI Charitable has participated whenever and wherever calamity has struck, whether in India or the United States. It raised more than fifty thousand dollars for Katrina and given fifty-five thousand dollars for Tsunami reconstruction." Hemant Patel had his early schooling in Baroda and completed his medical education from Jawharlal Nehru Medical College, Belgaum, Karnataka. He had his residency at United Hospital Medical Center in New Jersey. He was the Chief Medical Resident at the Hospital. He had his fellowship in Pulmonary Diseases at the University of Medicine of Dentistry, NJ and critical care medicine in Mayo Clinic, one of world's most known medical institutions. He is serving the people of New Jersey/New York communities through five clinics providing quality health care. And it's not coincidental to see this physician continuing with his ministry with professional ism even while remaining close to the community and political leadership.

He said, the Silver Jubilee of AAPI celebrated in Philadelphia coinciding with the induction of his Team at the helm of affairs was one of the greatest moments of his life. He believes, "The AAPI has a great future." And so does he. " 

-By Surendra K. Ullal & Ajay Gosh