American-Indian Medical Doctors’ Association Keen To Cooperate With Malaysia, Singapore Counterparts

NEW YORK, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- The US-based American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) is keen to reach out to counterparts in Asian countries, particularly in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand which have been attracting patients from around the world in what has come to be known as medical tourism. According to AAPI representatives, the association facilitates and enables Indian-American physicians to optimize and excel in patient care, teaching and research, and pursue their aspirations in professional and community affairs. “As the apex organisation in the United States of medical doctors of Indian origin, we are spread across the country with a huge network of affiliations and chapters, supported by a membership of about 90,000 physicians and specialists in various fields of medicine. "We have been partnering with the US Government and the pharmaceutical industry. AAPI maintains a global network and we invite participants from around the world and present their papers for awards. "Asia is very much on our radar and we are, naturally, keen to have contacts with counterparts in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, etc. We have already conducted programmes in South Africa, Zimbabwe, etc.” explained Gautam Samadder, the newly-elected President of AAPI, in an interview with Bernama at the Indian consulate general where the association held its leadership conference aimed at producing leaders in the medical community. Samadder, a medical doctor specialising in pulmonary and sleep medicine, pointed out that AAPI also works in tandem with the Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO) which plays an active role in international cooperation. Besides the US, other countries having large numbers of Indian medical doctors include the UK, Australia and Canada. It is estimated that between 10-30% of the physicians working in USA, UK, Canada and Australia have their roots in India. There are also significant numbers of Indian physicians working in Middle East, South East Asia and Africa. GAPIO recently announced that it was planning to bring some 15,000 retiring medical doctors of Indian origin from Britain to provide expertise to short-staffed medical institutions in India. “With huge shortage of doctors in India, we are trying to bring in services of about 15,000 retiring doctors from the United Kingdom to provide their expertise to the short staffed medical institutions across the country,” Ramesh Mehta, president of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO), said in a statement. Mehta, who has been knighted by the British Queen and is also the vice president of GAPIO, said that out of the 1.2 million Indian doctors working across the globe, 50,000 work in Britain. Meanwhile, GAPIO is organising its annual global conference in Mumbai, India from Jan 5 to 7, 2018. Representatives of medical associations in Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries can also attend this event and interact with the large body of medical professionals who are expected to come from around the world. Samadder also pointed out that the association itself will be holding its 11th Global Healthcare Summit in Kolkatta from Jan 2 to 5, 2018. Malaysian medical associations and professionals could also participate in this event. About 1,000 medical professionals are expected at this event. -- BERNAMA Copy