IndiaPost.com - AAPI set to play bigger role in Indian health care

India Post News Service

CHICAGO: Hemant Patel becomes the President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in an epoch making era, especially when the Indian Diaspora has come of age, recognized for its multi-dimensional achievements in diverse disciplines and is able to influence Indo-US scientific, economic and political events.

He believes that the physicians as a powerful group of professionals should contribute even more, of course in keeping with the availability of the valuable resources to meet the needs of society. It is in this context that he has geared his efforts to get AAPI do one better in addressing more intensely health care needs of India, especially rural India.

AAPI in collaboration with the Indian authorities and Indian NGOs has announced holding a Health Summit in New Delhi in the second week of December and it would address, among other things, the issues related to improving health care in rural areas.

It will also attempt tackling diabetes among Indians as also creating a greater awareness about HIV/AIDS to contain its spread. "The Health Summit will be a forerunner of many such meets in India and USA. This would also be in keeping with the letter and spirit of MoU signed between the Indian government and AAPI," he said.

Hemant Patel had his early schooling in Baroda and completed his medical education from JN Medical College, Karnataka. He came to the US in early eighties and took up residency at United Hospital Medical Center. He was the Chief Medical Resident at the Hospital.

He had his fellowship in Pulmonary Diseases at the University of Medicine of Dentistry, NJ and critical care medicine in Mayo Clinic. He came to New Jersey and started his private practice while serving as a member of the Boards of Trustees.

He is serving the people of New Jersey/New York communities through five clinics providing quality health care. He continued social and professional activities to remain close with the community as well his own profession. He had been actively associated with several groups working in times of natural disasters like flood, hurricane, health hazards and ravages of war and human conflicts.

Through the channel of AAPI he was a part of many charitable works through its charitable arms. He is a founding member of AAPI NJ/NY. He was successful in raising five more local chapters and was reelected as President for three consecutive years.

In May 2007 he became the President of AAPI. An adept fund raiser, he has donated his time and money to many social, religious as well as political institutions and organized many cultural events like Ras Garba, and classical dance shows.

He recalls that the Silver Jubilee of AAPI celebrated in Philadelphia coinciding with the induction of his team was one of the greatest moments of his life. "It is time to recapture the events of the growth of AAPI for the last 25 years and I feel that AAPI has emerged quite strong -occasional differences and set backs notwithstanding. By and large AAPI stood the test of time and has emerged a winner," he said.