Doctors of Indian origin unite to tackle global health problems - the creation of The first ever Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO)
Chennai - at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention in Chennai, January 7-10, a consortium of health care professionals was created - GAPIO - the world's first comprehensive health care organization with an emphasis on improving health provision and addressing health inequalities in India.
Chennai (PRWEB) January 22, 2009
At the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention in Chennai, January 7-10, a consortium of health care professionals was created - GAPIO - the world's first comprehensive health care organization with an emphasis on improving health provision and addressing health inequalities in India.
"This new organization would promote the contribution to global health of approximately 1.2 million Indian health care professionals and aim at harnessing their skills to address health issues in India and enhancing the knowledge and skills of Indian doctors and dentists," said Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, founding chair of GAPIO.
"Physicians of Indian origin the world over are a large powerful group and this organization will help to enhance the prestige this brings to our country, as a nation of highly educated professionals. This initiative to bring them under one umbrella should be encouraged. We would be happy to offer necessary assistance in this endeavour," said Mr Vayalar Ravi, India's Minister for Overseas Indians Affairs.
"The formation of GAPIO offers an organized channel for coordinating exchange of knowledge and expertise to bring the best health care solutions to India. It also offers a unique opportunity for Non Resident Indians to return contributions to their mother land," said Dr. Ramesh Mehta, vice chair, GAPIO. "I am very excited about the opportunities this global organization will create towards reducing inequalities in access to care, and enhancing quality of care for those who need it the most," said Dr. Sanku Rao, vice chair, GAPIO.
GAPIO is supported by the Indian Government and the presidents' of the American and British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI and BAPIO). Professor Raman Bedi, King's College London, has been asked to be the Secretary General, he said, "I am proud to serve GAPIO and its members as the inaugural Secretary General of GAPIO. Founding members will be given free membership for the first two years and this will give them access to regular newsletters, educational programs, news, networking rights with other members and an academic journal." The founding council includes: Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman, Dr. Raman Bedi, Secretary General, Drs. Sanku Rao and Ramesh Mehta, vice chairs. Mr. Anwar Feroz and Haresh Kaneriya, were appointed as Honorary international advisors to GAPIO.
For more details please visit www. gapio. org
Note to editors:
The founding council includes: Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman, Dr. Raman Bedi, Secretary General, Drs. Sanku Rao and Ramesh Mehta, vice chairs.
Professor Raman Bedi is currently at King's College London and is director of the Global Child Dental Health Taskforce
For further information log on to:
Www. kcl. ac. uk/schools/dentistry/research/gcdht (http://www. kcl. ac. uk/schools/dentistry/research/gcdht )
King's College London
King's College London is the fourth oldest university in England with more than 13,700 undergraduates and nearly 5,600 graduate students in nine schools of study based at five London campuses. It is a member of the Russell Group: a coalition of the UK's major research-based universities. The College has had 24 of its subject-areas awarded the highest rating of 5* and 5 for research quality, demonstrating excellence at an international level, and it has recently received an excellent result in its audit by the Quality Assurance Agency.
King's has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, international relations, medicine and the sciences, and has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA. It is the largest centre for the education of healthcare professionals in Europe and is home to five Medical Research Council Centres - more than any other university.
King's is in the top group of UK universities for research earnings, with income from grants and contracts of more than £100 million, and has an annual turnover of more than £363 million.
For further information, please contact:
Professor Raman Bedi
Raman. bedi at kcl dot ac dot uk
Raman. bedi at gapio dot org
Gapio at in dot com
###
