The American Association of Physicians from India held a preparatory meeting Monday, September 29, 2024 at the Indian Consulate in New York to discuss the upcoming AAPI Global Healthcare Summit to be held in New Delhi October 19 and 20, 2024, and to discuss AAPI’s vision and action plan in the US and in India.
The press conference-cum-curtain raiser was led by Dr. Satheesh Kathula, president of AAPI, as well as Dr. Hetal Gor, trustee, and attended by other physician leaders including, and Padma Shri recipient Dr. Sudhir Parikh, a veteran AAPI senior advisor, and chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media/ITV Gold.
Dr. Kathula and Dr. Hetal Gor, briefed the media on AAPI’s ongoing activities in the United States and India, and noted that the upcoming summit aims to bring together healthcare professionals, policymakers, and industry leaders to address the prevention of cancer and heart attacks in the Indian population with lifestyle modification and technology.
Dr. Kathula gave details about AAPI’s 3 main initiatives in the US this year – 1. Stem Cell or Bone Marrow Drive; 2. Raising awareness about increased physical activity and honoring veterans simultaneously through the ‘Million Miles of Gratitude’ initiative; 3. Preventing heart attacks in the Indian American community.
Dr. Kathula thanked the media for attending and for providing support for several decades to AAPI, urging them “to help to get the message out, in reaching out to the general public here, the Indian diaspora and in India, especially for providing health education on preventive measures.”
Dr. Parikh offered the help of his media outlet, and gave additional recommendations for AAPI to initiate, maintaining that India’s needs in healthcare had changed over the decades.
Two or three decades ago, AAPI used to send Xray Machines and MRI Machines to India, but “Now India needs more than that. India needs an exchange program for the medical students,” Dr. Parikh said, as well as observers for the medical students. “AAPI can have some structured body that can provide observership to those students,” he recommended. Additionally, AAPI could organize exchange of the faculty from India and grow it into a global force. The Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, GAPIO, was trying something similar with faculty exchange which will provide the younger generation state of art education from the Western countries. Dr. Parikh assured AAPI of his full support as a doctor and as a media person.
AAPI has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of India Droupadi Murmu as Guests of Honor at GHS 2024, as well as Health Minister J.P. Nadda.
Earlier during the day, AAPI conducted an AAPI Leadership Retreat at the Indian Consulate in New York City, attended by Consul General Binaya S. Pradhan. The panel included several distinguished figures from various fields, including Dr. Sanjeev Kaul, Chief of Trauma; Sudeep Kapur, a magistrate; Manee Kamboji, owner of a highly successful IT company; Natalie McKenzie, a health and fitness coach and podcaster; Jyoti Soni, a catering and wedding planner with over three decades of experience in the culinary industry; and AAPI leaders.
Consul General Pradhan, in his address highlighted his long association with AAPI since 2005. Highlighting the recent meetings India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with top CEOs from the United States during his recent visit, Pradhan emphasized that India’s potential is “not only appreciated by the ordinary people of the United States, but even by the industry, and that’s probably the reason why all these industry entities are now present in India in a much bigger way. So it’s going to be leading to bigger investment back within India.”
Pradhan lauded the contributions of “a strong Indian association of Doctors, AAPI. We feel so lucky that we have their strong presence, of this fraternity in this country. And I’m sure, going forward, you are going to be an anchor. You will be bringing the relationship between India and the United States much closer, especially in the healthcare sector.”
Pradhan told AAPI that “My expectation, my request has been that, this is the time for you to rethink about how you contribute back home in India. I know all of you, individually and collectively, do a lot of good work back home in India.”
Noting that India’s economy is undergoing a massive transformation today. “The Indian people are not looking for help in meeting their basic needs, but would expect a strong association like yours to help them to touch their aspirations. You have access to the best of the medical technologies in this country. You can think about what you can do to touch the aspirations of the people, by using the technology, and reach a much larger number of people in India.”
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