Indian American doctors to set up world-class medical services

Wednesday, 24 December 2003, 20:30 IST
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LUCKNOW: It's payback time for non-resident Indian (NRI) doctors born in this Uttar Pradesh capital who have decided to set up a series of world-class medical facilities here. These facilities would be a trauma centre, a burn injuries hospital, a mental health care clinic and a de-addiction centre. A declaration to this effect was made by Sharad Lakhanpal, who heads the Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) which has been in touch with the central and state governments on this issue. "We have already had detailed discussions on this with those at the helm of affairs at the centre," Lakhanpal said. "I think Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will make a special mention of these schemes in his address to the first joint conclave of AAPI and the King George's Medical University Wednesday," Lakhanpal told IANS. The university is currently holding its 98th foundation day celebrations here. The doctor had led a delegation for a meeting with Vajpayee, who represents Lucknow in parliament, during the latter's trip to the US. "It was a fruitful meeting. He responded positively to our offer for funding a state-of-art trauma clinic in Lucknow," he said. Lakhanpal said he was also scheduled to have a meeting with state Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on the proposals. A 1969 batch medical graduate of King George's Medical College (now university), Lakhanpal said the AAPI Charitable Foundation was already involved in setting up 14 state-of-art health clinics in different states. Lucknow would be the 15th in line. With a view to ensuring that medical education in India keeps pace with international standards, Lakhanpal has urged the union government to give one berth in the Medical Council of India (MCI) to an AAPI nominee. "Once we are given representation in MCI, we would be in a position to provide meaningful contribution towards enhancing the standards and pattern of medical education in India," he pointed out. AAPI was set up in 1982 to protect the rights of doctors in the US. The organisation has 38,000 Indian doctors who form more than five percent of the medical fraternity in the US. "So we definitely have a voice," he said.
Source: IANS