CHICAGO (TIP):
There are over 100,000 Indian American physicians in the United States and several hundred thousands across the globe. They want to contribute to their Janmabhoomi, India, by sharing their expertise, skills, knowledge and resources with those in need of their services in India. However, they are not familiar, how and where they will begin providing these services to those who would benefit from them. Often without an infrastructure and a method to reach out to the needy, they are unable to be of help to the needy patients back “home.”

Now, under the leadership of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), a new initiative, SwaasthIndia Portal has been officially launched with the mission to provide a platform to connect Government of India’s health related requirements with medical expertise of physicians of Indian origin globally and to ensure a seamless and easy online interaction for users of SwaasthIndia, ensuring a comfortable, efficient and productive experience.

“SwaasthIndia seeks to achieve a web based two way communication system to help identify and coordinate a two way need based system, for medical educational and service delivery to the people of India,” says Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, president of AAPI. “This system functions as a “match maker” between various public and private medical and paramedical institutions in India and any healthcare provider from around the globe who are willing and wanting to provide such service for their Janmabhoomi.” Swaasth India is collaboration between the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (Government of India), the American Association of Physicians of India origin USA (AAPI), Global Association of Physicians of Indian origin (GAPIO), the British Association of Physicians of Indian origin, UK, and the Apollo Hospital.

The Government of India, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Health, India, has pledged its full support, Dr. Jahagirdar confirms. On June 28th 2014, the SwaasthIndia Portal was inaugurated by Dr. Harsh Vardhan, during AAPI’s Annual Convention. Describing the many userfriendly features, Dr. Jahagirdar says, “In this system, there, will be an input from both sides, the Central and State Governments, as well as private organizations and hospital systems in India that will identify and upload all forums like meetings and Conferences, medical camps and workshops from the India end.

From the Global side, the healthcare provider currently limited to physicians, will Register onto the website with their individual details. Similarly institutions worldwide can also offer their services through AAPI.” Dr. Seema Jain, president-elect of AAPI, says, “Swaasth India provides an online platform, offering information and requirements of government or NGO run health and wellness programs in India to physicians of India origin from around the world, enabling them to enroll and support healthcare needs in villages, districts and states of your choice in India.” AAPI is the apex body that will manage this portal first for two full years.

AAPI, in its special E – Newsletter to all its Members last week has informed and is urging them its members to register and participate in this well planned and meticulously presented initiative. If you work for the government and are responsible for health related issues, you can post your requirements on the Swaasth India website. These requirements may include health screening camps or capacity building programs. These posted requirements will be made visible to the Indian origin physicians from all around the world, who may apply to offer their services in order to support these programs. Information shared on this website is processed in a highly secure and confidential manner.

Only physicians, with approved profiles, would be able to access government’s health related requirements. This is to prevent misuse of your information and to ensure a seamless, secure interaction between the government and the physicians offering these services. Anwar Feroz, Honorary Advisor to AAPI (USA), who has been associated with it since its inception, considers this to be “a very positive collaboration between various associations representing physicians of Indian origin from several countries, which makes it easier to identify, register and sign up for opportunities to support either training, skills development or clinical programs in various locations throughout India.”

The success of this initiative is up-to every physician of Indian origin residing in any part of the world and has a desire to help and contribute, by effectively utilizing this forum. The genesis of Swaasth India was during the Pravasi Bharitya Diwas (PBD 2010) in Jaipur, India. Most physicians of Indian origin are passionate about doing something meaningful, about contributing towards the continued growth and advancement of India.

Swaasth India is expected to enable physicians of India origin residing globally to support the Government of India’s objectives to improve the standard of living and health status of the Indian population in a coordinated way. “The goal to be achieved is a direct and organized involvement by healthcare providers globally to help provide a highly desired universal high quality and affordable healthcare delivery to all people of India,” Dr. Jahagirdar summarizes. For more information and to register,
please visit: www.swaasthindia.gov.in.