AAPI’s Global Healthcare Summit Concludes with a Commitment to Give Back To Motherland

(Hyderabad, India: July 30th, 2019) The 13th edition of the annual Global Healthcare Summit organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) USA, was inaugurated by Shri Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President of India, with the lighting of the traditional lamp and delivering the keynote address at the famous Taj Krishna Hotel in Hyderabad on July 21st. 

“I am glad to learn that AAPI serves as an umbrella organization with a Network of over 160 chapters across USA,” Mr. Naidu told AAPI delegates. “We are indeed proud of our doctors and healthcare practitioners who are rendering invaluable healthcare services in countries across the globe.”

In his welcome address, Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI, said, “This GHS held in Hyderabad from July 21stto 23rd, 2019 has promised to be one with the greatest impact and significant contributions towards harnessing the power of international Indian diaspora to bring the most innovative, efficient, cost effective healthcare solutions to India.” 

The groundbreaking Global Healthcare Summit (GHS) organized by AAPI in collaboration with the Government of India, BAPIO & GAPIO, as well as Host Alumni Chapters, including OGKTMA, ATMGUSA, KAMCOSA, and GMCGA, had participation from some of the world’s most well-known physicians, and industry leaders.

GHS 2019 was attended by over 100 opinion leaders and expert speakers from many countries across the globe to present cutting edge scientific findings as these relate to clinical practice, representing major Centers of Excellence, Institutions, and Professional Associations are represented by the invited chairs and speakers. In addition, the GHS 2019 was attended by more than 1,000 local physicians.

“Let us develop a structural relationship between AAPI and the government of India,” Honorable Shri Harsh Vardhan, India’s Minister for Health, told the hundreds of international delegates. “It is your love for your motherland that has brought you here today.” He proposed that each AAPI member return to one’s place of birth and  identify the local needs of the place and invest one’s time and resources and talents and skills there in order to make a positive impact on the health of your native place. “If AAPI has a project in its efforts to enhance the healthcare system in India, the Ministry of Health will collaborate and provide all possible support to it,” the Minister promised the AAPI delegates.

 

Offering trainings to First Responders, a CEO Forum by a galaxy of CEOs from around the world, CMEs, first ever Med Quiz, cultural events, interactive roundtables, clinical practice workshops, and meet-the-expert sessions, Women’s Forum by internally acclaimed successful women from India, were only some of the major highlights of the Healthcare Summit, Dr. Reddy, who assumed office as the President of AAPI barely two weeks ago, said. 

In his address, Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Founder-Chairman of Apollo Hospitals, praised AAPI’s efforts to help India through its Healthcare Summits in making policies in healthcare delivery more effective. 

Earlier on July 21st, the GHS began in the early hours of the day as AAPI delegates, students and faculties from several schools and colleges joined the “Obesity Revolution” Walkathon for creating awareness about Obesity. The walkathon had a record breaking as many as 2,000 participants. 

Dr. Seema Arora, the Chairman-Elect of AAPI, BOT, said, “We flew away from India decades ago. However, our hearts are still in India.” Summarizing some of the achievements of AAPI , she pointed to AAPI’s 16 free healthcare clinics, AAPI’s legislative initiatives in the US, and the ongoing collaboration with the government of India and the state governments and several NGOs, to help making healthcare more cost effective.  

Dr. Sreeni Ganagasani, Chairman of GHS Convention said, “The GHS 2019 features some of the biggest names in the healthcare industry, especially at the 6th annual CEO leadership forum with leaders from across the globe.”

A major theme and focus of the 13th annual Global Healthcare Summit is on Women’s Health. A team of physicians, consisting of women leaders of AAPI, including Drs. Uma Jonnalagadda; Soumya Neravelta; Stella Gandhi;  Swati Yalamnchi;  Pooja Kinkhabawala led the sessions on Women’s Healthcare Needs.  In addition, a day-long session on Rural Health Education was held at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Hyderabad on July 22nd.

According to Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President-Elect of AAPI, the scientific program of GHS 2019 was developed by leading experts with the contributions of a stellar Scientific Advisory Board and International Scientific Committee, while the event featuring plenary sessions, interactive round-tables, clinical practice workshops, and meet the expert sessions. 

 “For the first time ever, AAPI organized a popular Jeopardy-type Med-Quiz for the Medical students from all the Medical Colleges from the state of Telengana during the 13th edition of the annual Global Healthcare Summit in Hyderabad, India,” Dr. Suresh Reddy, who had envisaged and planned this firs ever event, encouraging the medical students to be part of the Global Healthcare Summit, and providing them with valuable opportunities for interacting with world renowned medical professionals from across the world. said. 

“The essence of AAPI is educational,” Dr. Ravi Kolli, Secretary of AAPI, while describing the purpose of the Med-Quiz, said. “That translates into numerous programs that AAPI has planned to motivate med students, physicians, academicians and researchers to excel and master their areas of work.” 

Describing the process for the Med-Quiz, Dr. Raghu Lolabhattu, Co-Chair, Global Health Summit 2019, said, “Each Medical School chose and sent 5 medical students, representing each year of Medical school study. These students competed with students from other med schools from the state of Telengana. The winners at the Preliminary Rounds competed at the Global Healthcare Summit.” 

 “The purpose of the Med-Quiz is to foster curiosity, enhance knowledge and understanding of the medical students,” Dr. Raj Bhayani, Treasurer of AAPI, said. According to Dr. Dwarkanada Reddy, Host Chair of GHS 2019, “Competing at a global level and being recognized by an international organization such as AAPI, will instill confidence in aspiring young physicians and will help exposing them to Western ways of learning and mastering their areas of study.” 

The semi-final and the Final stages of the Med-Quiz were held during the GHS 2019 in Hyderabad, The winners were awarded citations and cash prizes by AAPI and local organizers. A group of five students from Rangaraya Medical School won the coveted first prize that won them cash prizes, citations and stethoscopes. The 2nd prize went to students from Pinnamaneni Medical School and the 3rd prize went to medical students from Gandhi Medical School. The top six teams from across the state were awarded with citations and cash prizes by AAPI and local organizers. 

The Women’s Forum had a galaxy of successful women, who shared with the AAPI delegates their own stories of growing up and facing challenges with conviction and courage, and have today become role models for other women around the world. Bollywood actor Jaya Prada, was the keynote speaker at the Women’s Forum and she has agreed to be “The Ambassador of AAPI in Women’s Empowerment.” 

Dr. Sajani Shah, Women’s Forum Cahir and Dr. Seema Arora, Co-Chairwoman of the Women’s Forum coordinated the session. Other panelists included, Dr. Anju Agarwal, a General Practitioner of Medicine from Sydney, Australia; Dr. Sailakshmi Balijepalli, a winner of several national awards; and, Ms. Sangita Reddy, the Joint Managing Director of the Apollo Hospitals Group.

Dr. Krishan Kumar, Chair of the CME Committee, said, AAPI organized CMEs during the Pre-Tour to Israel and Jordan, and during the Post Tour and at the GHS in India from July 13 to 24, 2019. The cutting edge 15 hours of CMEs attracted more than 150 AAPI delegates from the US.  The topics broadly covered the recent advances in Medicine. The participants were enthusiastic in learning the common topics like management of anaphylaxis, head injuries, stroke, sleep apnea, infections and facial attractiveness etc.

Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, Past President of AAPI and a Senior Strategic Advisor of AAPI, coordinated the powerful CEO Forum, attended by leaders in the field of healthcare, pharmacy, industry leaders and academicians.

Dr. Ajay Lodha, past President of AAPI, coordinated and led the seminar on AYUSH, Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, & Homeopathy. Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Government of India, Ministry of AYUSH. Dr. Pratibah Shah from the Council for Ayurveda, helped coordinate the Seminar.

The Tuberclosis Awareness Seminar focused on recent advances in the TB epidemic. AAPI along with the USAID, which was represented by Mr. Eric Alexander, Deputy Consul General of the US in Hyderabad, recommitted its mission to eradicate TB from India by 2025. 

AAPI continues its focus on women’s education, especially in rural India. The GHS this year focused on preventive health, targeting Rural Health, Women’s Health, and providing special CPR Trainings that equipped First Responders to help save life.  

Dr. Vemuri S. Murthy, a well-known resuscitation educator and trainer, a veteran US and international volunteer of the American Heart Association (AHA) for more than three decades, in coordination with Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Vice President of AAPI, Dr. K. Manohar, Director of NIMS, and the Indian coordinator, Dr. Ashima Sharma and the staff @ NIMS, led the workshop on Resuscitation, on July 22nd at the Nizams Institute of Medicine.

Attended by 178, including 123 Medical Students, 27 Consultants, 22 Nurses and 6 Laerdal Representatives, the seven hours long workshop provided Training on ways enhance the outcomes after sudden cardiac arrests ongoing community hands-only CPR training and AED awareness. Dr. Murthy said, “The AAPI Resuscitation Workshop 2019 was designed, incorporating the basic and advanced Resuscitation Science (Post-Cardiac Arrest) information including global 2018 updates. The workshop focused on Indian resuscitation projects to enhance outcomes after sudden cardiac arrests.”

 

According to Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, the workshop was an effective way “to share information about recent global advances in Adult and Pediatric Resuscitation; and, to share information about the role of simulation technology in resuscitation training, including a simulation session.”

The Galas each night sponsored by OGKTMA, ATMGUSA, had speakers from the Alumni Associations, who spoke passionately about their commitment to give back to their Alma Mater, and to the larger society. Other guests had addressed the Galas included, Director General of Police for the state of Telengana; Ministers of Health and Panchayat, the state of Telengana. Etela Rajender, Health Minister of Telangana State addressed the gala and requested AAPI to help recruiting top physicians in the Academic Sector. Errabelli Dayaker Rao, Minister of Panchayati Raj, State of Telangana also joined OGKMA night.

The grand finale was the gala nite, where watching several blind children perform dances both classical and modern was heart touching. The music and melodious songs rendered by these most vulnerable children was heartrending. Reports and emceeing of the cultural programs by these children reading Braille was touching. AAPI rose up to the occasion and raised $20,000 towards the Devenar School for the Blind was a historical milestone for AAPI. 

AAPI team visited Burgula, a village Adopt by Dr. Alok Agrawal under ADOPT A VILLAGE Program, had a first hand experience of the noble initiatives by Dr. Agrawal and his dedicated team.

The Pre-Tour of the GHS 2019 took delegates to Jordan and Israel, where AAPI for the first time organized a CPR Training to First Responders. They had a memorable tour of the historic places in both the nation. Post Tour included City Tour of Hyderabad and Thirupathy. AAPI delegates had a memorable tour to the historic Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad, where they learnt the rich history of the former Kingdom of Hyderabad ruled by the Nizams. 

“AAPI has made significant contributions towards addressing several issues affecting the healthcare system in India,” Dr. Suresh Reddy, President of AAPI, said. “We have addressed the issue of Traumatic Brain Injury – the scourge of young India, and helped with the development of management guidelines thereby helping prevent deaths due to road traffic accidents, raising the importance and awareness on smoking cessation, Adopt a Village program and taking the initiatives to make quality healthcare accessible universally to village and taluka and district levels, and most recently a strong collaborative on making India TB Free with the signing of a MOU with USAID. Ten city pilots are well under way and significant progress is being made,” he added. 

 “With the changing trends and statistics in healthcare, both in India and US, we are refocusing our mission and vision, AAPI will continue to make a positive meaningful impact on the healthcare delivery system both in the US and in India,” Dr. Reddy said. For more information on Global Health Summit, please visit www.aapiusa.org