Category: Health

Thousands Throng Yoga Day Celebrations At Times Square, Hindu Temple, Lincoln Center, JFK Airport

Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0

New York: Tens of thousands of people from across all walks of life joined the International Day of Yoga organized by the Consulate General of India, along with several socio-cultural organizations based in and around New York, on June 21, 2015 at more than 50 places in and around the city.

They participated in these events with great pride and enthusiasm. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj represented the Government of India at the Annual Event of Yoga (Summer Solstice) at Times Square and the Hindu Temple Society of North America, Flushing.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who has introduced a Resolution in the Senate in support of the IDY and Madhur Bhandarkar, Film Director, also participated and cheered up the participants at the Times Square where close to 20,000 people participated throughout the day. With the support of the Consulate, the Art of Living Foundation (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar), Global Citizen Forum (B.K. Modi Group) organized a three hours program, including yoga, meditation, dance drama on yoga and finally East Meets West by Bhappi Lahri and Judge M. Kelly, famous Jazz maestro.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, B.K. Modi, Judge Kelly, Bhappi Lahiri, Ambassador Arun Kumar Singh and Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser addressed the 2700 strong supporters of yoga at the auditorium. Similarly, Hindu Temple Society of North America organized a daylong yoga and related events. External Affairs Minister participated in the closing ceremony and released a book titled “Yoga-Bharat’s Invaluable Gift to the World” by Mr. V. Ravi Kumar Iyer.

The Indian Consulate had also organized yoga lecture-cum-demonstration at the airports of New York and New Jersey. Passengers practiced yoga while waiting in transit. Photos of these events are available on indiacgny.org. The State Senates of New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Westchester as well as several City Councils have issued Proclamations and felicitation messages to support and commemorate the first International Day of Yoga.

Several Senators, Congressmen, Mayors and Councilmen have sent their appreciation letters to the Consulate on the occasion. Indian-American communities represented by several Socio-Cultural organizations including the Overseas Volunteers for Better India (OVBI) were wholeheartedly involved in these events. The Consulate was also supported by Tech Mahindra, the leader in digitalization and business re-engineering for organizing these events.

Following the United Nations Resolution to declare International Day of Yoga on June 21 every year, the Consulate had been organizing yoga related various Curtain Raisers as well as yoga events in areas under the consular jurisdiction of this Consulate. Curtain Raisers were organized in Albany and Queens on June 9 and June 13 respectively. Yoga and related events would continue to be organized throughout the year at different places by this Consulate from time to time.

Dr Navin Shah, the catalyst behind national prostate cancer legislation

Ajay GhoshHealth 0

Dr. Navin Shah, a Maryland urologist and erstwhile president of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, has been in the forefront along with US Congressman G K Butterfield, North Carolina Democrat and chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, for introducing a legislation, that if enacted, could save thousands of African American lives, among others, by being tested for prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men.  One in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime with nearly 221,000 new cases diagnosed each year.  But current screening techniques can be improved in order to avoid inaccurate results that either leave many men believing they are cancer-free or lead to painful, costly, and unnecessary procedures.

Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer related deaths in American men. In 2014, there were 233,000 new cases of prostate cancer and 29,480 deaths due to prostate cancer. Sixty-five percent of prostate cancers are found in men over 65 year’s old. The early detection and treatment has resulted in a 99% five-year survival rate in prostate cancer patients, compared to only 68% in 1977. Due to prostate cancer screening and prostate cancer treatment there are three million prostate cancer survivors living in the US.

Dr. Shah, who has been concerned about the American Urology Association’s recommendation that prostate cancer screening for men 70 or older is unnecessary, which would have meant that those in that age group who wanted to undergo such screenings would not be reimbursed by insurance — met several US lawmakers last month and sought to convince them to introduce legislation to help combat prostate cancer.

His efforts led to Congressmen G. K. Butterfield (D-NC), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and Walter Jones (R-NC) introducing the National Prostate Cancer Plan Act (H.R. 2730) last month that would establish a council of federal agencies, patients, and medical experts charged with drafting and implementing a national strategy to combat prostate cancer.

“Prostate cancer is an epidemic and has a disproportionate impact African Americans,” said Butterfield.  “Black men have the highest prostate cancer rates of any racial or ethnic group and are more than twice as likely to die from the disease.  The National Prostate Cancer Plan Act marks an important step forward in finding treatments and cures to a disease that kills nearly 30,000 Americans every year.”

“I’m pleased to join Representatives Butterfield, Jones and Cummings in support of legislation to address a serious health risk that affects one in seven American men,” said McCaul.  “Prostate cancer, sometimes called the ‘silent killer’, affects close to 18,000 men each year in Texas.  In addition to supporting critical biomedical research at places like the National Cancer Institute, we must focus our efforts to develop a strategy to beat back this terrible disease which is exactly what the National Prostate Cancer Plan Act will do.”

“Men are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer as they age, so the development of more accurate screening techniques and new treatment options is critical to increasing quality of life and survival rates, particularly among older men,” said Butterfield.

“So many of us have either been personally affected by prostate cancer or have lost a loved one who suffered from the disease,” Cummings said.  “One in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetimes.  The National Prostate Cancer Plan Act will improve detection and diagnosis of this disease so that we can provide these men with the best chance for a long, healthy life. This bill represents a giant step forward in our battle to combat this curable disease and literally save lives.”

Butterfield said the bill would also need support from the public and specialty groups, and exhorted the Indian American community, particularly the influential IndianAmerican physicians, to urge action on the bill: “That’s the way we get legislation moving here in Washington. We form alliances with other groups who have an interest in the subject. We call them stakeholders and certainly Dr. Shah is a stakeholder and every urologist ought to be a stakeholder and the National Prostate Cancer Plan Act is not just a Black Caucus effort — it’s for every male in America.”

Butterfield also praised Dr. Shah for his efforts. He said, “No question, Dr Shah’s leadership on this issue is really appreciated. Statistics show that 240,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year — that’s almost a quarter of a million men — and 28,000 of these will likely die from the disease. So, this is an issue of public importance. Dr. Shah is one of the leaders in raising this issue. Prostate cancer has been talked about for years, but the question is, we got to be challenged to do more, and he’s certainly challenged us.”

The National Prostate Cancer Plan Act would direct the National Prostate Cancer Council to develop and implement a national strategic plan to accelerate the innovation of diagnostic tools to improve prostate cancer screening and early detection, while also helping to reduce unnecessary treatment.  The Council would also be responsible for evaluating federal prostate cancer programs and coordinating prostate cancer research and services across all federal agencies.

Jones said, “Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, and the National Prostate Cancer Plan Act would establish a national plan to improve prostate cancer screening and early detection. It is my hope that a national prostate cancer plan will bring down the high rate of prostate cancer and allow men to live healthier lives.”

The legislation has been endorsed by the Prostate Cancer Foundation, American Urological Association, Prostate Cancer Research Institute, and ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer.  The bill is modeled after the National Alzheimer’s Project Act which passed Congress with broad bipartisan support in 2010.

Navin C. Shah, MD is a Practicing Urologist, Medical Education Director, Metropolitan Ambulatory Urologic Institute and MidAtlantic Urology Associates, Treasurer of Mid Atlantic Urology Associates, and is the CEO, American Professional eXchange Association. He is the past President of Medical Staff, Doctors Community Hospital, Washington DC Metropolitan area, Past President of The American College of International Physicians (ACIP), a former Trustee of The Maryland State Medical Society, and is the Co-Founder and Past President, The American Association Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI).

Medicare & Medicaid: Keeping Us Healthy For 50 Years

Ajay GhoshHealth 0
Lyndon Johnson signing Civil Rights Act
Lyndon Johnson signing Civil Rights Act

On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law a legislation that established the Medicare and Medicaid programs. For the past 50 years, these 2 programs have been protecting the health and well-being of millions of American families, saving lives, and improving the economic security of our nation.

Many Americans have never known a world without Medicare. Through the last half a century,  it has been a reliable guarantor of the health and welfare of older and disabled Americans by paying their medical bills, ensuring their access to needed health care services, and protecting them from potentially crushing health expenses. However, as popular as Medicare has become, Congress created the program only after a long and deeply ideological struggle that still reverberates in continuing debates about its future.

Medicare was born out of frustration, desperate need, and political opportunity. The intellectual and political architects of the program did not set out to create a health care system for the elderly, for persons 65 years of age or older. Starting in the early 1930s, during President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, they sought a much grander prize: the enactment of universal national health insurance for all Americans. However, opposition from Republicans, conservative Democrats, and organized medicine frustrated those ambitions. Even after Harry Truman became the first president to unreservedly advocate national health insurance in 1948, his proposal stalled on Capitol Hill. Supporters reluctantly concluded they would have to pursue more modest goals, so they targeted health insurance for elderly Americans.

The logic for this new focus was compelling. The health care situation of retirees was desperate. Bills for health care in this population were roughly triple those of younger Americans, but retirees did not have access to employer-sponsored coverage and they were unattractive to private insurers in the individual health insurance market. In the early 1960s, only about half of Americans who were 65 years of age or older had any health insurance, and many of their policies did not offer meaningful health care coverage. Politically, the elderly were also an attractive constituency. They showed up at the polls, and even in the mid-20th century, demographic trends showed that their numbers would surge.

These circumstances led to several congressional efforts during the 1950s to pass legislation providing health coverage to retired Americans. As he prepared to run for president, John F. Kennedy became a forceful Senate advocate of what came to be called Medicare. He campaigned on the issue in 1960, and though he lost a Senate Medicare vote by a 52-to-48 margin in 1962, his staff was meeting in Washington, D.C., at the very moment of his 1963 assassination in Dallas to discuss how to revive the legislation.

Medicare thus became part of the Kennedy legacy to which his successor committed himself. Johnson also saw in Medicare a huge political opportunity to mobilize elderly voters for his 1964 presidential campaign. Johnson’s landslide victory, which gave him large Democratic congressional majorities, made the passage of Medicare much more likely. This package included hospital coverage under Part A of Medicare, physician coverage under Part B, and a new addition, Medicaid. Having lived through the long effort to pass first national health insurance and then Medicare, Johnson understood the latter’s link to the former.

After years of fruitless struggle, Medicare advocates tried to minimize opposition by designing a comparatively modest insurance package. To limit costs, the program required substantial deductibles, copays, and premium contributions from beneficiaries and did not include coverage for long-term care, prescription-drug benefits, or limits on out-of-pocket costs.

In separating hospital coverage (Part A) from outpatient coverage (Part B), the program also imitated the prevailing structure of private insurance, such as the then-independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, which in the 1960s often sold separate plans for hospital and outpatient care. Medicare has had a major effect on the lives of its beneficiaries. First and foremost, it has improved protection against financial hardship from medical bills, which was a major concern for older Americans and their adult children before enactment. Today, only 2% of the elderly lack health insurance, as compared with 48% in 1962.  Between 1965 and 1984, life expectancy at the age of 65 years increased by 15%.

One of the indirect positive effects of the implementation of Medicare occurred because the program stopped providing reimbursement to racially segregated health care facilities, in compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The result was the immediate desegregation of hospitals throughout the United States.

In 2013, Medicare covered 52.3 million Americans, almost one sixth of the U.S. population, at an annual cost of $583 billion, making it the nation’s largest insurer, public or private (though Medicaid will likely soon be larger). As insurance, Medicare is very popular among its users. Its beneficiaries are less likely to report not being able to get needed care or having burdensome medical bills or a negative insurance experience than are those under the age of 65 years who have employer-sponsored or individual plans

The Social Security Amendments of 1972 extend Medicare eligibility to people under age 65 with long-term disabilities and those with end-stage renal disease. Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which strengthens Medicare coverage of preventive care, reduces beneficiary liability for prescription drug costs, institutes reforms of many payment and delivery systems, and creates the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. The ACA also adds many new health insurance protections, such as bans on preexisting condition exclusions; establishes health insurance marketplaces for small businesses and individuals to purchase affordable health insurance; and requires that states expand eligibility for Medicaid.

Though Medicare and Medicaid started as basic insurance programs for Americans who didn’t have health insurance, the programs have changed over the years to provide more and more Americans with access to the quality and affordable health care they need.

Dr. Amar Desai Among Top Healthcare Leaders Under 40

Ajay GhoshHealth 0

Dr. Amar Desai, an Indian American doctor based in the Greater Los Angeles area of California, was recently named to the Becker’s Hospital Review “25 Healthcare Leaders Under 40” list. The leaders are selected through an editorial review process that included peer nominations. All leaders were under 40 years old at the time of their nomination earlier this year. This is the fourth year the annual list has been released.

“I am honored. This recognition is really about the distinctive individuals and teams I have had the privilege to work with,” Desai told the media. “We are at such a dynamic moment in healthcare and medicine right now, there is so much we are doing that will improve the health and well-being of our communities.”

Amar DesaiDesai, 39, who was born and raised in Southern California to parents who immigrated to the United States from India, resides in Manhattan Beach, Calif., with his wife Priya and their three daughters. An associate professor of medicine at Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California and the CEO for the USC Care and Ambulatory Care Services, he has dedicated the better part of a decade to improving patient care.

Desai is currently responsible for the operations of all ambulatory satellites, which include hospital-based clinics, Keck School of Medicine department clinics, outpatient joint venture partnerships, community practices, the access center and billing operations.

“As I have progressed in my medical career, I have seen firsthand how patient care is influenced by public policy decisions, systems of care, and the business of medicine,” he said. “Over the past years, my roles have focused on driving health system change by building innovative care models that improve quality, make care more affordable, and transform the experience of being a patient.”

Desai spent time as an executive at Da Vita Healthcare Partners and an engagement manager at McKinsey and Company. At the latter firm, he was a member of the North American Provider/Payer Practice. He is board certified in internal medicine and nephrology, having completed his residency and fellowship at U.C. San Francisco.

Desai received his bachelor’s and medical degrees at Brown University and his master’s of public health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He has held faculty appointments at the Stanford School of Medicine and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

CHAI Signs MoU with Toronto University on Education and Research Collaborations

Ajay GhoshHealth 0

The Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI) and the Toronto University, Canada signed  a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on education and research collaborations . Rev Dr. Tomi Thomas, IMS, Director-General, CHAI, and Dr Freida S Chavez, Director, Global Affairs Office Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, University of Toronto,  signed the MoU. It was signed during the 72nd CHAI Foundation Day Celebrations  held at CHAI Central Office premises on 29th July 2015 in front of a huge gathering of Principals/Counsellors, Teachers and CHAI Staff.

The Catholic Health Association of India celebrates it 71st years of service. The organization has grown in terms of its membership, services and expanded the scope for encompassing and achieving the mission for which it was established in 1943. The organization has been shaped and nurtured by the visionaries who directed it and by the impact of national and international happenings. There have been paradigm shifts to meet the needs and to fulfill the vision and mission of reaching the poor and marginalized.

Dr. Joseph Chalil Honored With AAPI Presidential Award

Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0

Orlando, FL: Joseph M. Chalil, MD, MBA, FACHE, is the honored recipient of the prestigious Presidential Award by the Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI). Dr. Chalil was bestowed with the award for pioneering the ground-breaking initiative Global Clinical Research and Trial Network in front of an audience of 2,000 during the 33rd Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly of AAPI–the largest ethnic organization of physicians in the U.S.–on June 19th in Orlando, Florida.

“Connecting to the brand of AAPI and its extensive US Physician network will lead to an increased visibility of pharmaceutical clinical trials here in the USA,” commented Dr. Chalil, Chairman of the new and independent global research network.

Dr.  Seema Jain, President of AAPI, lauded Dr. Chalil’s leadership in heading the pioneering initiative of AAPI. Upon presenting the award, Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, immediate past President of AAPI, praised Dr. Chalil for his leadership of the initiative, affording the AAPI Membership the extensive reach to “educate physicians regarding clinical across the U.S, from small groups as referral sources to larger ones that can already run the research and trials themselves.”

Dr. Joseph Chalil receiving the Presidential Award from Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, immediate past President of AAPI during the annual convention. Also in the picture are: Dr. Ajeeth Singhvi, immediate past Chair, AAPI BOT, and Dr. Amish Parikh, Chairman of the AAPI Convention in Orlando.
Dr. Joseph Chalil receiving the Presidential Award from Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, immediate past President of AAPI during the annual convention. Also in the picture are: Dr. Ajeeth Singhvi, immediate past Chair, AAPI BOT, and Dr. Amish Parikh, Chairman of the AAPI Convention in Orlando.

Dr. Chalil is a Physician and Executive at Boehringer Ingelheim, the world’s largest privately held pharmaceutical company, and for the past five years has served as Scientific Advisor to AAPI, the second largest physician organization in the US second only to AMA. A veteran of the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, Dr. Chalil is also board certified in healthcare management, and has been awarded Fellowship by the American College of Healthcare Executives, an international professional society of more than 40,000 healthcare executives who lead hospitals, healthcare systems and other healthcare organizations.

Dr. Chalil holds three US Patents, and his research includes Clinical Trial Management in Cystic Fibrosis, Multiple Myeloma, and publications in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. He was the recipient of the 2013 Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business Award. A Visiting Professor at various universities and board member of various companies, Dr. Chalil is an expert in US Healthcare policy and a strong advocate for patient centered care. The American Association of Cardiologists of Indian Origin (AACIO) honored Dr. Chalil for his achievements in the field of Cardiology in 2013.

Doctor sentenced to 71 months in federal prison for health insurance fraud

Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0

Dipak Desai, 65, an Indian-origin doctor has been sentenced to 71 months in a federal prison and ordered to repay over $2.2 million for health insurance fraud, the Federal Bureau of investigation announced last week.

Desai, who ran an endoscopy centre, overcharged the US health insurance systems for senior citizens and for the poor as well as private health insurers for providing anesthesia services, according to Daniel G. Bogden the Nevada federal prosecutor. The Las Vegas doctor, who had pleaded guilty to conspiracy and health care fraud, was sentenced by federal Judge Larry R. Hicks. Desai.

“Dr. Desai intentionally defrauded the federal health care system for his own personal enrichment,” Bogden said. “We are hopeful this closes a long and sordid chapter of harm caused to the people and businesses of Nevada.”

An FBI press release said that Desai and his endoscopy company’s chief operating officer Tonya Rushing “imposed intense pressure on the endoscopy center employees to schedule and treat as many patients as possible in a day, and instructed the nurse anesthetists to overstate in their records the amount of time they spent on the anesthesia procedures.” Rushing was earlier sentenced to a year in jail for her role in the scam.

Shreya Patel, 9-year-old girl impresses Obamas with ‘garam masala’ burger

Ajay GhoshHealth, Youth 0

Shreya Patel, a 9-year-old Indian American girl left the Obama couple awestruck when she served a ‘garam masala’ Quinoa Burger with ‘raita’ to them — and won a chance to dine with the First Lady at the White House. Hailing from Schaumburg, Illinois, Shreya Patel was among 55 young cooks who were given a red carpet welcome at the White House during the fourth annual “Kids’ State Dinner” recently.

The competition was to create a recipe for a healthy lunch, the Chicago Tribune reported.

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 10: U.S. President Barack Obama drops by and greets attendees during the annual ''Kids' State Dinner'' in the East Room at the White House July 10, 2015 in Washington, DC. President Obama dropped by the "dinner" as the first lady hosted the 2015 winners of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, a nationwide recipe challenge for kids that promotes cooking and healthy eating. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 10: U.S. President Barack Obama drops by and greets attendees during the annual ”Kids’ State Dinner” in the East Room at the White House. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle savoured her dish at the event and praised her effort, the daily said. Patel’s garam masala quinoa burger with raita was chosen as the winning recipe from Illinois. She was invited for the lunch with Michelle Obama at a flower-bedecked table in the East Room on July 10.

“I have watched my mom and grandma make all sort of delicious food in the kitchen with an Indian twist since I was born,” Patel was quoted as saying on www.letsmove.gov.

“I have been helping them cook since I was three. I love to mix, measure, chop, and even clean up afterwards,” she posted. “My grandma and I came up with this recipe together because we both love sandwiches. We make this recipe often to take to school for lunch or even on picnics with friends,” said Patel who aims to become a pharmacist like her father.

Her Quinoa Burger dish was enhanced with garam masala, cumin, ginger and grated serrano chilies. The “Kids’ State Dinner” contest was open to children aged eight to 12 and nearly 1,000 recipes were submitted. The menu featured Mediterranean rockin’ roasted vegetables, vegetable confetti spring rolls and a California rainbow taco — with that famous “Barack-amole” married with “Mic-kale Obama Slaw,” the report added.

Dr. Seema Jain Highlights AAPI’s Initiatives At World Congress on Preventive Healthcare 2015

Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0

Houston, TX: Dr. Seema Jain, President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), highlighted the numerous initiatives on preventive healthcare, AAPI, the largest ethnic association of medical professionals in the United States, has initiated here in the US and in India, during the First World Congress on Preventive Healthcare 2015 at the George R. Brown Convention Center on Friday, July 10th, 2015. Dr. Eduardo Sanches, President of American Heart Association was another speaker who was a special guest to address the delegates at the World Congress.

Dr. Jain emphasized the need for Exercise, Healthy Eating, and Energizing oneself through Meditations and Yoga to be the best means for preventing health risks and staying healthy.  She praised the AAPI members who have been in the forefront researching, educating and discovering ways to prevent risks and find healthcare solutions to world’s healthcare problems.

 “There is a plethora of Physicians of Indian Origin working globally who have their roots in India,” Dr. Jain, said. “It is estimated that there are 1.2 million Physicians of Indian Origin working not only in India, but also, in most of the countries around the world. Their contributions to the world of healthcare is enormous. AAPI has taken numerous initiatives in preventing health risks and bringing the best healthcare to millions of people.”

Dr. Seema Jain, President of AAPI, addressing the audience at the World Congress ON Preventive Healthcare 2015
Dr. Seema Jain, President of AAPI, addressing the audience at the World Congress ON Preventive Healthcare 2015

Dr. Jain pointed out that Indian-Americans constitute less than one percent of the population in the United States, but they account for nearly nine percent of the nation’s physicians in the United States, having a very powerful presence across the nation, while serving in almost all parts of the country. They are estimated to provide healthcare to over 40 million patients in the US.

“It was truly an honor to have you endorse and inaugurate the First World Congress on Preventive Healthcare 2015 hosted by the 35th NABC here in Houston,” said Dr. Sumita Chowdhury, Chairperson for the World Congress on Preventive Healthcare, said. “Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to come and make this a historic event. Your speech was unforgettable and the message was so soulful that it touched the hearts of all the thousands of attendees who were spellbound! I certainly look forward to working closely with AAPI under your leadership with our mission.”

In addition to several workshops on ways to preventive healthcare, the Congress brought medical testing, diagnosis and knowledge about high mortality causes to the fore during the Congress held from July 10-12th. The historic World Congress was part of the North American Bengali Conference (NABC) 2015, organized by Tagore Society of Houston. An overflowing crowd of about 8,000 registered attendees, sponsors, exhibitors, distinguished guests and walk-in visitors to the fair and exhibitors’ area thronged the nook and corner of the sprawling complex.

Bollywood celebrity and music director Jatin Pandit was the Brand Ambassador for the World Congress on Preventive Healthcare 2015. This Congress will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston from July 10th to July 12th, 2015.

Free screenings for clinical cardiac risk parameters, blood tests for advanced lipid parameters, diabetes testing, cardiac rhythm evaluations, and endothelial function tests were some of the services offered to participants during the Congress.

The Congress was an initiative to create global awareness about preventive healthcare to make it a sustainable priority with a mission to: Educate communities on risk factors and preventive strategies; Enact healthy lifestyles, best practices, and equity in access, and empower each individual to implement early intervention and resuscitation because knowledge is power.

A forum to bring together all stakeholders in healthcare to formulate a shared vision towards prevention of disease, The Congress combined the collective wisdom of world leaders in healthcare policy and delivery will create sustainable measures for prevention that can be adapted worldwide and integrated into the fabric of our daily lives.

The Congress was aimed at preventing heart disease, diabetes, and premature death for all. This forum was a way to evaluate the factors contributing to the increased disease risk among South Asians and will help to formulate awareness campaigns to help modify risk factors that are specific to this ethnic group.

The total number of people with diabetes is projected to rise from 171 million in 2000 to 366 million in 2030. In 2012, 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3% of the population, had diabetes and 13% of Asian Indians had diabetes. $245 billion: Total costs of diagnosed diabetes in the United States in 2012.  South Asians have a one in three lifetime risk for developing diabetes.

South Asians living in America carry a very heavy load of coronary disease – one that is much higher than any other ethnic community. While the occurrence of coronary disease has doubled in the last few decades, it is now growing exponentially. Although South Asians comprise a quarter of the world’s population, they carry 60% of the burden of cardiovascular disease.

The Congress brought to the attention of the world that one American dies every 40 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular diseases. A disproportionate burden of this risk is seen in the 3.4 million South Asians that live in the United States. The risks for heart attacks and cardiovascular death can be up to five times higher for South Asians when compared to other ethnic groups. At the event, Dr. Chowdhury appealed to the South Asian community to unite and conquer the epidemics of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes and called on each member of the community to join the South Asian Cardiovascular Registry and contribute to the advancement of science.

Dr. Seema Jain, President of AAPI, addressing the audience at the World Congress ON Preventive Healthcare 2015
Dr. Seema Jain, President of AAPI, addressing the audience at the World Congress ON Preventive Healthcare 2015

“There is a need for greater visibility and cohesion of these Physicians. Their combined intellectual and technical strength can also be a vital force in the development of the healthcare sector, including research and academics. Indian physicians both in India and abroad excel in their fields and have a passion to provide quality care. AAPI through this new initiative, brings their collective power on one platform to help shape healthcare in under served areas and work towards quality healthcare for all,” added Dr. Jain.

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