“There are several chronic diseases that if identified at initial stages can prevent catastrophic life-threatening events among people,” says Dr. Sreeni Gangasani, current national Treasurer of the American Associations of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), past President of Georgia Associations of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPI) and the Director, GAPI Volunteer Clinic. Dr. Gangasani, who is a cardiologist by profession, understands the risks to individuals, their families, the nation, and the larger community by unidentifying and preventable illnesses such as Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, various Cancers, Heart Disease, Stroke, and Liver Disease.
With the objective of helping and supporting the local community in Atlanta, especially those who are uninsured, living in poverty, and immigrants with no way of finding quality and affordable healthcare, GAPI has decided to collaborate with SEWA to expand the GAPI Volunteer Clinic in Atlanta and make its services available to maximum number of people who need healthcare.
“GAPI Volunteer Clinic in Atlanta recently started working with SEWA volunteers to serve Hispanic and other underserved communities along with Indian and South Asian patients,” says Dr. Gangasani. “At present, the clinic is open first and third Saturdays, and we have plans to open the clinic every Saturday if volunteer physicians are available,” says Dr. Gangasani.
Dr. Gangasani while describing the origins of the Clinic said, “Following the astounding success of the SAI Health Fairs initiated by Dr. Sujatha Reddy, where thousands of poor, uninsured, and underinsured in the community received free and effective health care, GAPI’s past Presidents thought of extending the services through the GAPI Volunteer Clinic.”
GAPI Volunteer Clinic was started in 2010 at the Global Mall to help uninsured patients in the Metro Atlanta region after the GAPI Executive Committee decided in 2009 and was opened by then-congressman Tom Price. GAPI was established in 1987 and it has more than 800 members and over 300 Life members. It is well known for rendering sterling services in health care to the community.
As the director of the GAPI volunteer clinic since 2010, Dr. Gangasani says, “I just wanted to take a moment to express how grateful I am to work at the GAPI clinic. It is truly a blessing to be able to provide medical care to those who may not otherwise have access to it. The gratitude that our patients express when they are seen is truly heartwarming and makes all the hard work worth it. I feel good knowing that I am making a positive impact in the lives of others. Thank you to all the dedicated staff and volunteers who make this possible.”
Dr. Gangasani says, on average over a dozen patients turn up at the clinic. All of them are uninsured or underinsured or visitors to Atlanta or seniors from India visiting their family members. Some seek urgent help during emergencies and are recommended to seek the clinic’s help. He is hopeful that he would like more people to come to the clinic. Spring is already here, so there will be many visitors and visiting relatives from India. It is vital that the community knows about GAPI Volunteers Clinic and makes good use of it.
Recalling the many lives he was able to touch during his 15-year-long association with the Clinic, Dr. Gangagasni said, “One of my best moments was identifying a tongue cancer in a clinic patient without insurance, who subsequently traveled to India and got the surgery done with a cure.”
During Covid, the clinic was closed and referred for free telehealth consultations by telehealth companies like Eglobaldoctors who helped many patients during difficult times. Now that the pandemic is behind us, the organizers of the Clini want to expand the services and help more patients who are in need of healthcare.
In addition to 2-3 physicians being available at the clinic on Saturdays, the collaboration with SEWA, which has a wider network of volunteers will help in having adequate staffing to the clinic with Nursing, Managing Front Desk, and Follow-up services/referrals.
Talks are on with the Georgia Indian Nurses Association (GINA) who provide volunteer nurses to the clinic. If each of the GAPI’s more than 800 members volunteer his or her services for four hours a month, the Clinic will run smoothly.
The clinic has been approved for free EMR by clinical works. EMR (Electronic Medical Record) was installed and updated so that physicians can use it to provide better patient care. Run by GAPI volunteer physicians with the state of Georgia community health program support, Malpractice Insurance coverage to the physicians is covered by the Georgia state.
Dr. Gangasani urged GAPI physicians and nurses to step up to the plate and volunteer for a few hours at the clinic. GAPI volunteer free clinic is available at the Global Mall for people with no Insurance and low income. Free Primary care consultation is available for the family. The leaders of the Clinic are working on getting discounted rates at pharmacies.
Services Available:
Minimal cost for lab work
Discounted rate for medications and Flu shots (in season).
Referral to Specialists at a discounted fee.
Address:
5675 Jimmy Carter Blvd
Suite 736
Norcross, GA. 30071
(Inside the Global Mall)
Time of Operations:
Open on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Dr Gangasani requests the members of the community to come forward to help with successfully running the clinic. If anyone with a Georgia license wants to help and be part of this noble initiative, please contact Dr. Gangasani via email at: [email protected]
