AAPI’s 10th annual global healthcare summit 2016 in New Delhi

New Delhi: The 10th edition of the annual Global Healthcare Summit (GHS) 2016 organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) will be held at the Maurya Hotel, New Delhi from January 1st to 4th, 2016, Dr. Seema Jain, President-Elect of AAPI, announced here during a press conference at the India Habitat Center in New Delhi on January 6th, 2015.

Stating that women are nation-builders, who play a critical role in the growth of each family, Dr. Jain, a Psychiatrist, based in New Jersey told the media persons that focus of GHS2016 will be on women-related issues, seeking to create awareness among women on their role as nation builders and “AAPI will spearhead a campaign to prevent infant and maternal mortality, cardio issues, infection control, and antiboiotics as well as women’s leadership” she said. Lamenting that women who sacrifice everything to raise families often forget to care for themselves, Dr. Jain said, “AAPI is inviting Priyanka Chopra and any other celebrity who wants to be part of the next GHS in New Delhi and be part of AAPI’s initiatives.”

Among others who had addressed the press conference and made tangible suggestions to work collaboratively between API, Indian Medial Association (IMA), Medical Council of India (MCI) and American Heart Association (AHA) included, John Mainers of AHA, Dr. K Aggarwal of IMA, Dr. Giridhar Giani of MCI, and Dr. Sumit Sena of AIIMS. Anwar Feroz, Honorary Advisor of AAPI, coordinated the media event.

Earlier during the GHS 2015 that concluded in Mumbai, where Superstar Amitabh Bachchan pledge to be the Ambassador of AAPI’s campaigns to create awareness on Head Injury, Trauma, and Hepatitis In India, Dr. Jain personally made an appeal to the Superstar to be part of the GHS2016 in Delhi. In the coming year, AAPI will continue with its campaign on Hepatitis, Head Injury and Trauma with Amitabh ji as AAPI’s Ambassador, she said.

The Campaign On Trauma and Head Injury is very important because, India has the highest death rate around the world due to auto accidents, with an estimated 350,000 deaths per year, lack of Medical Emergency service (EMS) across the country, with many more dying outside the hospitals due to heart attacks, poisoning, Dr. Jain told the media persons.

Pointing out that 2016 is the 10th anniversary of GHS and the Summit is at the peak as over the years, AAPI has successfully collaborated with past Governments and with the new Government at the Center, we are looking forward to have renewed participation and engagement in areas related to health seeking to make a positive impact on Healthcare in India.

AAPI has been engaged in harnessing the power of Indian Diaspora to bring the most innovative, efficient, cost effective healthcare solutions to India, Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, President of AAPI, said in a message that was shown to the media persons. “AAPI wants to make a positive meaningful impact on the healthcare in India, to share best practice and experiences from leading experts in the world and develop actionable plans for launching demonstration projects that enable access to affordable and quality healthcare for all people,” he said.

 â€œGlobal Healthcare Summit held annually in India across the states in partnership with the Indian Medical Association (IMA), and Medical Council of India (MCI), with the cooperation from the Ministry of Health and Overseas Indian Affairs, is due to the love for our motherland, which has made us come back to make a positive difference in the healthcare delivery system in India,” said Dr. Gautam Samadder, Secretary of AAPI.

Dr. Naresh Parikh, Treasurer of AAPI, said, “In addition to the participation and collaboration of top political leaders and medical/healthcare industry leaders, GHS has come to be recognized for the many initiatives it has given birth to and the numerous joint recommendations of the standard of care for major diseases affecting the people of India.”

While describing the numerous objectives the Summit serves to fulfill, Dr. Jain said, GHS continues to offer top notch medical curriculum to physicians from across the globe. The Conference in collaboration with over 10 professional associations from all over the world, offered educational and training programs on areas that need special attention, including high priority areas such as Cardiology, Maternal & Child Health, Diabetes, Oncology, Surgery, Mental Health, HIT, Allergy, Immunology & Lung Health and Gastroenterology, Transplant and impact of comorbidities by world leaders in the field of medicine.

Objectives of the Summit and these networks educate physicians on cutting edge disease topics and cutting edge intervention, through this work during GHS 2015, with AAPI being able to showcase the full heights that Asian Indian physicians have reached, while elevating educational quality, stimulating the AAPI general physician members, bringing further recognition to these renowned physicians, and inspiring our young physicians-in-training

“A forum devoted to Healthcare and Hospital CEOs where over fifty of the top echelon in the health industry had a brain storming session made plans for the future. An AAPI – Global Clinical Trials Network, a new initiative of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) was launched on the concluding day, January 4th, 2015,” she said. Pre-conference web based sessions were offered to over 50,000 physicians and for the very first time, there is a live streaming of sessions during GHS 15 which was viewed live by physicians from around the world

Describing some of the contributions of AAPI, Dr. Jain pointed to AAPI Charitable Foundation (AAPI-CF) that runs 17 free clinics in India, which serve millions of patients annually, and overseeing/participating in the healthcare initiatives at a number of free clinics run by its local and State chapters across USA. AAPI is supporting three cancer centers and have developed three major trauma centers and a hospital in India.  AAPI-CF has also raised funds and mobilized medical equipment and personnel for international disasters including the Tsunami, and Earthquakes in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

GHS has achieved several tangibles. Dr. Jain said. AAPI has been able to ensure the engagement of all notable sections of Indian government, with a ground breaking start of an alliance between AAPI, IMA & MCI.  AAPI has been instrumental in the ban on smoking in public places and introducing the concept of emergency medical care in India, she told the journalists, who swamped her with numerous questions on a one-on-basis post press conference.  “AAPI's decade-long efforts have transformed trauma care in India with the federal government sanctioning Rs 1,000 crores for establishing dozens of trauma care centers in Maharashtra with the goal of making all of them fully functional by January 2017,” Dr. Jain said. In the coming years, AAPI will continue to make a positive meaningful impact on the healthcare in India,” Dr. Jain promised.

Headquartered in Chicago, having a strong legislative presence in Washington, DC AAPI has come to be recognized as a strong voice in the healthcare legislation and policy arena.  For additional information on AAPI and its Global Healthcare Summit, please visit:www.aapiusa.org; www.aapighsindia.org