CHICAGO (TIP): Amid a devastating second Covid-19 wave in India, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (APPI), plans to send 200 oxygen concentrators to Indian hospitals with the help of non-profit SEWA International. The largest ethnic medical organization in the US also plans to offer tele-Consult services in India in local languages and organize webinars to educate AAPI members and their counterparts in India on zoom. AAPI has also identified three telehealth platforms that would offer free service to physicians from India/US and patients.

“In the past week, we have been receiving nothing but mind-numbing news from many countries around the world, particularly in India, the land of our birth,” stated AAPI President Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalgadda. Pointing to the chilling statistics, Jonnalagadda also urged AAPI members and the general public to step up and donate generously as India, our motherland is facing one of the most serious health crises in decades, according to an AAPI press release. “This is the time for immediate AAPI action. As doctors, we all share a visceral urge to do something about it,” he said.

200 Oxygen concentrators costing around $500 each will be delivered direct to hospitals in India with the help of SEWA International with Indian missions in the US helping with shipping and customs, Jonnalagadda said.

Describing the current spike in Covid cases in India as “the worst nightmare” Dr. Sajni Shah, Chair of AAPI Board of Trustees pointed out, “This is a far cry from the picture a few months ago about our motherland India, which depicted the virus to be on the decline.” Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, President-Elect, who is leading the AAPI Initiative to help and support plans to help the physicians and the people in India thanked hundreds of AAPI members at the conclusion of a brain storming session on how to help India.

Dr. Gotimukula announced following steps to help India.

Groups of physicians will form smaller groups with Indian physicians in their own state/region, and do it yourselves in their own language for Tele-Consult. The Google sheet prepared by AAPI has a list of volunteers that would be updated regularly.

AAPI has identified three Telehealth platforms that would offer free service to physicians from India/US and patients: 1. EglobalDoctors.com; 2. http://Mdtok.com; and, 3. Click2clinic.com. Apps are available on iOS and Android.

In addition, with the purpose of educating AAPI members and their counterparts in India, AAPI is organizing educational webinars with small groups of doctors on zoom.

Dr. Gotimukula urged the physician fraternity to educate their communities on the need to double masking and everyone taking “the vaccine to reduce the intensity of disease if we become Covid positive.”

AAPI is offering MD-To-MD zoom chats and discussions about one’s patients, disease, course of medicines, and progress daily 7-8 am IST/9:30-10:30 am EST.

Dr. Ravi Kolli, Vice President of AAPI noted that AAPI members have risen to “the occasion and are offering the much-needed services to their motherland in several ways, individually and collectively.”

Dr. Amit Chakrabarty, Secretary of AAPI giving details about covid tele-consulting services for Indian doctors said, “We are extremely delighted about the overwhelming response to this.”

Dr. Satheesh Kathula, Treasurer of AAPI thanked all the volunteers and tele-health platform companies for sharing platforms and offering services at no cost to AAPI members, Indian doctors and patients for treating Covid-19.

For more details, please visit: AAPI website: http://www.appiusa.orgwww.appiusa.org.