India Post News Service
CHICAGO: The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI)has initiated Digital Integrated Prevention And Management Program (DIPAM), a Rural Health Initiative in India in a virtual launch event on Gandhi Jayanthi. Sunday, October 2, 2022
In his welcome address, Dr. Ravi Kolli, President, said, “While India has made substantial progress in health care as evidenced by the fact that life expectancy in India at birth now is 71 years as opposed to 58 years in 1990 and 41 years in 1960, there are significant gaps and divergence in health metrics in different regions in India. India needs to redouble and continue its efforts and dedicate resources to tackle these perennial challenges. “
”The post-graduate training of physicians specializing in Family Medicine in every teaching institution will create motivated and well-trained family physicians to address these deficits and deliver accessible, affordable, economical, and continuous preventive and primary care to rural as well as urban poor populations to raise health outcomes across India,” he said.
Chaired by, Dr. Satheesh Kathula, the much needed and popular program has Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Dr. JaganAilinani and Dr. Murthy Gokula as members of the Committee.
Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Immediate Past President, AAPI, in her welcome address, referred to the goals of Adopt-A-Village. “A lot of efforts are being put into this initiative, “Adopt a Village” Project where AAPI in collaboration with Global Tele Clinics, Inc. She stated, “AAPI has been working on adopting 75 villages across India in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, where the rural people of India are being offered ‘Free Health Screenings in 75 Villages, for Anemia (CBC), DM (HbA1C), High Cholesterol, CKD, Malnutrition, Obesity, and Hypoxemia. “
“Results are being analyzed by GTC, and further treatment plans are recommended by their team of experts with follow-ups. This is a small contribution by AAPI to Mother India in celebration of Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav.” Dr. Anupama thanked the AAPI members for sponsoring their ancestral villages.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Satheesh Kathula, Chairman of AAPI’s Adopt a Village Program pointed out the need for this noble initiative. He said India has nearly 700,000 villages. Three out of four Indians and about 77 percent of the poor live in villages. The majority of the population has no access to basics such as safe drinking water and healthcare.
“By adopting one village at a time and working with the government and NGOs, NRIs can make a difference,” he said. Dr. Kathula referred to the rural initiative as “A very much needed project to prevent silent killers such as Hypertension, diabetes, Hypercholesterolemia, chronic kidney disease. Adopt A Village program also helped rural India with the supply of cloth masks, and clean drinking water and has helped thousands of people across India. We are excited about providing continuous healthcare in India with DIPAM.” He urged AAPI members to come forward and support these noble projects.
Dr. Anjana Samadder, President-Elect of AAPI, said, “By adopting one village at a time and working with the government and NGOs, NRIs can make a huge difference in the lives of millions of people in India. Each project will involve a tripartite partnership between the NRI, state government, and a local NGO.”
Dr. Murthy Gokula, President of Global Teleclinics spoke about “Adopt-A-Village” by Global tele-clinics and shared with the audience how his firm has strived on ‘Blending medicine and technology,” while pointing to the “great opportunity to enhance the effectiveness of tele-health through awareness, education and sustainable development in all villages.”
While describing the aims, Dr. Gokula said, the project is aimed at “bringing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) screening and prevention to rural people at their doorsteps of India and raising awareness of disease management and reversal of Non-Communicable Diseases to improve health outcomes and connect rural India with medical providers and partners.”
Initially launched with the goal to adopt and screen 75 villages for; Hypertension, Diabetes, Anemia, Chronic Kidney disease, and Hyperlipidemia, the phase 2 project aims at providing: In person complete physical exam for positive NCD patients every 3 months; Giving 3 month medications for the identified illnesses; Daily teleclinic through the app-based solution; Communication with the villagers through WhatsApp or telephone; Access to a local health care worker hired by global teleclinics for daily interaction and emergencies; and, Utilize local medical resources: RMPs, PHC personnel for immediate care,
AAPI-GTC DIPAM Clinic Process will have a white label platform to document visits in EMR; Telemedicine and deliver disease management and disease reversal; Doctor and other care team will document in the EMR; Labs will be uploaded for all the patients; History & Physical will be done for all patients in the pilot project at baseline and every 3 months in the first year; Acute and monthly follow-up will be through the AAPI-GTC DIPAM Telemedicine platform; In between communication will be through telephone and WhatsApp; and a health care worker/champion will be hired by GTC to follow up on these villagers to improve compliance and follow up.
The outcomes of the program will be measured through Baseline Positive Patients; Number Of Medications Supplied; Number Of Patients Managed For Six NCDs; Compliance Of Patients With Medications; Change In Lab Parameters And Other Biometrics; Health Education Sessions Provided; Phone Calls To Doctor And Health Care Workers; Number Of Patients Disease Managed; and, Number Of Patients Diseases Reversed.
While there is no instant solution for rural India’s myriad problems, by adopting one village at a time, working with the government and NGOs, NRIs can make a difference, and over time, an improved village could lead to an improved region, state, and country.
Dr. Gotimukula urged “AAPI members to consider joining this movement and adopt a village.” AAPI members/families can sponsor a Village by emailing: aapipresident@aapiusa.org and info@aapiusa.org. For more details, visit www. aapiusa.org
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