AAPI Expands Adopt-A-Village Program Brings Digital Integrated Prevention And Management Program (DIPAM)

UNITED STATES: Continuing with its magnificent efforts to help their motherland, members of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the premier medical organization in the United States, building on its successful program, ADOPT-A-VILLAGE with the lofty goal of adopting 75 Villages in India, has now initiated Digital Integrated Prevention And Management Program (DIPAM), a Rural Health Initiative in India during a virtual launch event on Sunday, October 2nd, 2002, commemorating India’s 75th Independence Day.

In his welcome address, Dr. Ravi Kolli, President of AAPI, 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 thus 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 a motivated and well-trained family physician 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 substantially all across India,” he said.

Chaired by, Dr. Satheesh Kathula, the much-needed and popular program has Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Dr. Jagan Ailinani, and Dr. Murthy Gokula as members of the Committee.

Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Immediate Past President, AAPI, in her welcome address, referred to the objectives of Adopt-A-Village. “A lot of efforts is being put into this initiative, “Adopt a Village” Project where AAPI in collaboration with Global TeleClinics, Inc., plans to adopt 75 villages in honor of 75 years of India’s independence, she said. “As India celebrates her 75th anniversary Independence Day celebrations, AAPI has been working on adopting 75 villages in India spread across 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 Rural Villages’ for Anemia (CBC), DM (HbA1C), High Cholesterol, CKD, Malnutrition, Kidney Disease, Malnutrition, Obesity, and Hypoxemia. Results analyzed by GTC and further action recommended by their team of experts will be also, followed up. This is a small contribution from AAPI to Mother India in celebration of Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav.” Dr. Anupama thanked the AAPI members for their generous support for this noble work of AAPI and for sponsoring their ancestral villages and going back to their roots.

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 basic things 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 It’s a very needed project to prevent “silent killers” such as Hypertension, diabetes, Hypercholesterolemia, and chronic kidney disease. Adopt A Village program also helped rural India with the supply of cloth masks, and clean drinking water has benefitted 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 tell 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 telehealth through awareness, education and sustainable development in all villages.”

While describing the objectives, Dr. Gokula said, The Project is aimed at “Raising awareness of disease management and reversal of Non-Communicable Diseases to Improve health outcomes and connect rural India with medical providers and partners, through bringing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) screening and prevention to rural people at their door steps of India.”

Initially launched with the goal to adopt and screen 75 villages for; Hypertension, Diabetes, Anemia, Chronic Kidney disease, and Hyperlipidemia, commemorating 75 years of Independence on the eve of 75 years of Independence, the phase 2 project aims at providing: In a person with the complete physical exam for positive NCD patients every 3 months; Give 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 another care team will document in the EMR; Labs will be uploaded for all the patients; History & Physical with in person will be done all patients in the pilot project as a 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.

There is no instant solution for rural India’s myriad problems. But by adopting one village at a time and working with the government and NGOs, NRIs can make a difference. Over time, an improved village could lead to an improved region, state, and country.

Physicians of Indian origin are well known around the world for their compassion, passion for patient care, medical skills, research, and leadership. They have excelled in their fields of medicine and thus have earned a name for themselves through hard work, commitment, and dedication to their profession and the people they are committed to serving. Not satisfied with their own professional growth and the service they provide to their patients around the world, they are at the forefront, sharing their knowledge and expertise with others, especially those physicians and leaders in the medical field from India.

Dr. Gotimukula urged “AAPI members to consider joining this movement and adopt a village. Maybe your own village of origin. AAPI will work with you in coordinating the efforts and through the support system we have in several states, will help you achieve this goal of giving back to our motherland.” AAPI members/families can sponsor a Village by emailing: aapipresident@aapiusa.org and info@aapiusa.org.

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October 05, 2022