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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline DECEMBER 24, 2021 | The Indian Eye 40

AAPI Commits to Strengthen ADOPT-A-VILLAGE

Project by Adopting 75 Indian Villages

OuR BuREAu is 71 years as opposed to 58 years in
1990 and 41 years in 1960, there are
Chicago, IL
significant gaps and divergence in
ontinuing with its magnificent health metrics in different regions in
efforts to help their mother- India. India, thus needs to redouble
Cland, members of American and continue its efforts and dedicate
Association of Physicians of Indian resources to tackle these perennial
Origin (AAPI), the premier medical challenges,” he said.
organization in the United States has Recently, a launch event of the
initiated Adopt-A-Village, a Rural program had a very rare show of
Health Initiative in India, with plans support for AAPI, by having the
to adopt 75 villages to commemorate esteemed participation of all 5 con-
75 years of India’s independence. sulate generals in the US including,
Chaired by Dr. Satheesh Kathula, the the rural people of India will be of- Indians and about 77 percent of the honorable Consul Generals of Chi-
Secretary of AAPI, the much needed fered ‘Free Health Screenings in 75 poor live in villages. The majority cago, New York, Houston, Atlanta
and popular program has Dr. Anupa- Rural Villages’ for Anemia (CBC), of the population has no access to and the Deputy CG of San Francisco.
ma Gotimukula, Dr. Jagan Ailinani DM (HbA1C), High Cholesterol, safe drinking water and sanitation. Ambassador of India to US, Taran-
and Dr. Ram Singh as members of CKD, Malnutrition, Kidney Disease, The needs in these rural areas are jit Singh Sandhu joined the meeting
the committee. Malnutrition, Obesity, and Hypox- unlimited and the scope to work are with his message and lauded the nu-
“We are really humbled by the emia. Results analyzed by GTC and endless. “By adopting one village at merous efforts of AAPI for India, es-
overwhelming response we received further action recommended by their a time and working with the govern- pecially during the pandemic.
thus far,” said Dr. Satheesh Kathu- team of experts will also be followed ment and NGOs, NRIs can make There is no instant solution for
la, Chair of AAPI’s Adopt a Village up. This is a small contribution from a difference,” he said. Dr. Kathula rural India’s myriad problems. Over
Committee. “We have sponsors for AAPI to Mother India in celebration referred to some of the programs time, with our consistent efforts, an
more than 50 villages and are con- of Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav.” Dr. in place in several rural villages, in- improved village could lead to an im-
fident that we will find rest of them Anupama thanked the AAPI mem- cluding supply of cloth mask, clean proved region, state and the country.
soon. This project will do compre- bers for their generous support for drinking water and free health care NRIs can adopt the village they hail
hensive screening for non-commu- this noble work of AAPI and for screening that has benefitted thou- from and make a significant contribu-
nicable diseases such as diabetes, sponsoring their ancestral villages sands of people across India. tion towards its development. There
hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and going back to their roots. Dr. Ravi Kolli, President-Elect is a real will and desire on the part
anemia, malnutrition, chronic kidney Dr. Satheesh Kathula pointed of AAPI, said, “While India has of governments, both at the state and
disease, and hypoxemia. We are do- out about the need for this noble made substantial progress in health the central level to work with NRIs
ing these much needed screenings in initiative. He said, India has nearly care as evidenced by the fact that and NGOs to bring development to
5 states, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil 700,000 villages. Three out of four life expectancy in India at birth now rural India.
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telanga-
na. If you want to sponsor a village
in any of the above mentioned states,
please feel free to contact us. There
is a plan to extend this project to oth-
er states if there is enough interest.
Our heartfelt thanks to the sponsors
for taking part in this noble project.”
He also said,
While setting an example and
urging others to join him in this no-
ble venture, Dr. Satheesh Kathula
himself was present in India in Oc-
tober of this year, and inaugurated
the project in Ramaiah Palle village
in Mulugu District in the state of Tel-
angana which was sponsored by him.
While referring to the objec-
tives of the Program, Dr. Anupa-
ma Gotimukula, President, AAPI,
said: “A lot of efforts are being put
into this initiative, ‘Adopt a Village’
Project where AAPI in collaboration
with Global TeleClinics, Inc. (GTC),
has planned to adopt 75 villages in
India spread across 5 states where

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