AAPI To Train Healthcare Workers - In Bihar, AP

AAPI President Hemant Patel, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee

The Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) is launching a movement in India to train healthcare workers to screen the population for major ailments. Addressing the first ever Pravasi Bharatiya Divas organized by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in New York recently, AAPI President Dr. Hemant Patel said the organization's zeal to do its best to motherland resulted in an institutional framework, a dynamic partnership between AAPI and Government of India that blossomed last year in the form of an MOU.

AAPI will be working in tandem with health care workers in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. "We will train the trainees in screening the hapless rural population for hypertension, diabetes, cardio vascular diseases, and other ailments. The project will kick off on Dec 17, 2007 in Andhra Pradesh and Dec 19, 2007 in Bihar. I am fortunate the project envisaged by my predecessors is becoming a reality during my tenure," Dr. Patel said to a thunderous applause. "This is just a beginning and we will branch off into more states in due course."

Each disease will have a physician in the form of team leader who will be responsible for implementing the program. Minor ailments will be referred to primary health centers, major ones to district civil hospitals and those requiring specialized care will go to hospitals attached to medical colleges and research institutes, he said.

"We are not going to India to preach or impart knowledge, but to learn and work hand in hand with our fellow medical fraternity. Our aim is not to show off our knowledge but genuinely share our skills and expertise for the benefit of our brethren who need urgent medical care on priority basis,"

he added. "We will supplement the efforts of the Government of India. The zooming growth of IT and communications offer a tremendous opportunity to tap Indian Diaspora's combined knowledge resources to establish a dynamic interaction between AAPI and primary health care system in India, "he added.

"AAPI members have a long-standing commitment to philanthropy. We firmly believe in giving back to the community through the AAPI Charitable Foundation. This commitment extends back to India, as well as to a variety of local projects. "Our team will work with Indian health care workers in developing innovative practices, community education, capacity building and preventive health care training and education. We will leverage the knowledge, skills and resources of AAPI."
AAPI has also embarked on a privatepublic partnership that is bound to make a difference in health care system in India. The first ever Indo-US Health Care Summit will be held in New Delhi on Dec 13, 2007. The focus of the summit will be to bringing together leading experts from the US and India for enhancing the practice of medicine in high priority disease states with focus on prevention, treatment and management.

Organized with the support of Medical Council of India and Indian Medical Association, the highest medical bodies in India, the three-day summit begins on Dec 14, 2007 in New Delhi. Over 300 delegates are expected to participate in the summit from the US and India and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and federal health minister Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss have been invited to the summit, he said.

"The summit is the result of our interaction with the federal minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Mr. Vayalar Ravi and Dr Ramadoss who are always ready to work with AAPI. AAPI has identified six major diseases that require immediate attention such as diabetes, cardio vascular diseases, and metal health. We will present a report on the state of health in the plenary session. Each disease control team will have a four member core team - two from AAPI USA and two from India for effective coordination. We will work to identify the issues on hand and how to tackle them effectively," he said. AAPI has also drawn up a road map for the next five years. The action plan includes recommendations to improve the medical school curriculum in India on par with the US and other advanced nations and improving medical tourism. AAPI would also collaborate with the pharma industry of India and assist them in improving R and D facilities.

"We want the synergy of knowledge and confluence of ideas to work for the progress in the Indian health care sector. The summit will discuss and deliberate on topics such as risk factors, cultural factors, environmental and life style influences on diseases, treatment paradigms, population level health, new and emerging best medical practices, standards in service delivery, awareness, education and Public Private partnership and formulating national health policy acquire clinical knowledge and collaborative effort. We are committed to improving the health care system in India and this will be our humble tribute to our motherland," he added.

India has become a giant on the planet arena. It's the latest buzz word and an economic super power. "The awe-inspiring success story will not be complete without infrastructure development and improvement in health care delivery system. We want to see a prosperous and healthy India. AAPI is committed to be there heart and soul in achieving this objective health for all in India."

At the end of his speech, Dr. Patel answered a volley of questions from the audience. The panel "India's Social building blocks: education and health care for masses" was chaired by Analjit Singh, chairman of Max India Limited and the key note speaker was Sam Pitroda, chairman of Indian Knowledge Commission set by the Prime Minister of India. Other panelists include Rajat Gupta, chairman, Public Health Foundation of India; Ramalinga Raju, chairman, Sathyam Computers Services and Dr Thomas Abraham, chairman of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO). The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was inaugurated by Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Mr. Vayalar Ravi.

By Surendra K. Ullal & Ajay Gosh