Feb 2010 - Michigan South Asian

Page 13 February 2010 Michigan South AsianAAPI Conducts Global Healthcare SummitNEW YORK: Indian-originphysicians from the US, UK,Canada, Australia and other nationsgathered in New Delhi lastweek for AAPI Global HealthcareSummit to discuss and improvehealthcare delivery systemin collaboration with theirIndian counterparts.American Association of Physiciansof Indian Origin (AAPI),the largest and most rapidlygrowing US-based professionalorganization. and that conductedIndo-US Healthcare Summitfor two years in end of 2007and in Jan 2009 took the lead inputting together a world-classtwo day summit inaugurated byUnion Minister of Statefor Health and FamilyWelfare Dinesh Trivedi.This year, AAPI hasroped in British Associationof Physicians of IndianOrigin (BAPIO) andtop-notch Indian medicalprofessional associationsto make it truly a globalsummit.The Summit shared thebest practices and experiencefrom leading expertsaround the world todevelop actionable plansfor launching demonstrationprojects with focuson prevention treatmentand management of prioritydisease states inIndia with define measurablemetrics to ensurethat action plans are economicallyviable.The Indian associationsworking in tandem thisyear are Indian MedicalAssociation (IMA);AmeriCares India; Federationof Obstetric & GynecologicalSocieties of India(FOGSI), Indian Academy ofPediatrics (IAP); Association ofSurgeons of India (ASI); IndianSociety of Medical and PediatricOncology (ISMPO) ICONand Urogynacology and ReconstructivePelvic Surgery Societyof India. Healthcare companieslike Johnson & Johnson andPfizer are the global sponsorsfor the summit. The physicianswill discuss project –basedhealthcare system and timebounddelivery mechanism.The Summit brought togethersome of the world’s most renownedexperts to focus onpriority disease states such asAllergy & Immunology, Cardiovascular,Diabetes, InfectiousDisease (HIV/AIDS),Emergency Medicine, MentalHealth and Maternal & ChildHealth. This year’s summit hada wider global perspective withthe addition of medical tourismand Health Information Technology.Dr. Vinod K Shah, AAPI President,welcoming the gathering,said advances in vaccination,antibiotics, minimum invasivesurgery, robotic technology,diagnostic modality and understandingof genetics have showna breakthrough results. “Thisis a stunning achievement weall can be proud of and yet theproblem with access to healthcareis real, a striking contrast.The gap in health between poorand rich remains wide.”India spends only six percentof its GDP on healthcare ofwhich only 1.5 percent comesfrom government spending.The healthcare manpower andprovider are extremely low.There are only 100 physiciansfor 100,000 populations in Indiaand this is lower than whatis required to assure adequatecombat H1N1 virus and waysto involve global experts totackle the global endemic. Thedeliberations of the previoustwo Indo-US Healthcare summitshave created awarenesswith AIMS and other medicaluniversities starting post graduatecourse in emergency medicinewith the help and guidanceof US experts in the field, headded.The physicians also chalked outa definitive plan to use HealthInformation Technology as atool to improve efficiency, effectivenessin delivery and achealthcarecoverage.The prevalence of coronary arterydisease is alarming and willbe number one cause for deathand disability that can have adevastating economic impact.The prevalence of Diabetes,HIV/AIDS, Mental Health,Cancer and Nutritional & InfectiousDiseases also pose a gravechallenge.AAPI would like to partnerwith union and state governments,NGOs and Foundationsin improving the healthcare ofthe masses. The AAPI GlobalHealthcare Summit can be ananswer to prevent those direconsequences on the economyand social fabrics and what weare starting today can be a trueglobal partnership at much largerscale.“We deliberated on some ofthe issues of clinical relevanceto develop a plan and specificrecommendations to implementprojects that are significant andyet economically viable andhave a potential for broaderscope.”“Based on our experience andfeedback from a strategic planningsession, the 2010 Summitwas the first truly GlobalHealthcare Summit that focusedon India with the inclusion ofBAPIO and physicians of Indianorigin in the world, AAPIwill continue to be the lead organizerworking with Indian organizations,”he said.Dr. Vinod K. Shah met withUS President Barack Obama inWashington recently and pleadedfor increased residency slotsfor medical graduates while extendingAAPI’s support to hishealthcare reforms.Dr. Ajeet Singhvi, presidentelectof AAPI, chaired the strategicdiscussion panel of thesummit, said a separate panelof experts deliberated a concreteplan of practical action tocess to care. The physicians alsodiscussed on how to make useof profits from medical tourismto help the poor get better treatmentin India, he said.India is on the way to becomediabetes capital of the worldand brings with it cardio vasculardiseases. The Summit willdiscuss strategies to educate,prevent and manage the diseasewith the help of Government ofIndia. Recommendations fromthe previous Summits wouldbe used to create an effectivemodule. AAPI and Johnson &Johnson are leading the effortsalong with Indian Academy ofPediatrics to reduce Infant Mortalitywhichcame in forpraise fromthe Governmentof India.EncouragingIndian medicaluniversitiesto starta certificateprogram inallergy andi m m u n o l -ogy, tacklingmalnutritionproblems, Vitamin-D deficiency,andmother andchild healthcareinitiatives,settingup of healthdesk at hospitalsfor betterpatient management,cancerpreventionand awarenesswill be someof the deliberationsat the Summit.Johnson and Johnson alongwith Pfizer has been a key supporterof the Summit from itsinception and believe the companycan make a difference tohelp improve access, qualityand delivery of healthcare system.Photo caption:Union Minister of state forHealth and Family Welfare Mr.Dinesh Trivedi lights the traditionallamp to mark the inaugurationof AAPI Global HealthcareSummit in New Delhi onSaturday morning.