Changing Lives Together
Mission:
Deployment of Health Professionals during peace time and disaster to conduct medical missions globally
Objectives:
- Core group of APPNA volunteers who are ready and willing to serve during disaster and peace time.
- Disaster response preliminary training and information provided to the volunteers so they are better prepared when deployed at time of disaster.
- Deployment of volunteers to areas in need.
- Facilitate and make necessary arrangements for health professional’s deployment for the missions.
APPNA Medical Corps in collaboration with Syrian American Medical Society conducted a medical mission to Lahore, Pakistan from February 26 to March 4, 2017. 15 physicians consisting of Plastic and cardiothoracic surgeons, Emergency Medicine, Cardiologist, Psychiatrist, Nephrologist, Pediatric specialists and General Pediatricians traveled at their own expanse to Lahore from United States, Canada and Dubai to participate in the mission. The physicians volunteered their time at Shaikh Zayed Medical Complex and Children’s Hospital, Lahore. They performed surgeries, direct patient care and hospital rounds. More than a 1000 patients were treated free of charge during the mission. In addition, the physicians conducted teaching rounds with fellows, residents and medical students in the hospital setting. Both hospitals had their medical symposia during the time of the mission and the visiting physicians gave talks at the symposium. These medical services were very well received by both hospitals and they have expressed keen interest in continuing future collaboration.
The mission provided an opportunity to build an ongoing working relationship with the charity hospitals in Pakistan. There are plans to collaborate further with the respective departments to enhance their operations, transfer of technology and ongoing faculty exchange. APPNA Medical Corps would like to sincerely thank Professor Farid Khan, Dean Shaikh Zayed Medical Complex, Professor Masood Sadiq, Dean Children’s Hospital, Lahore and their respective staff for being extremely gracious hosts and making local arrangements to make the mission very productive.
Another achievement of the mission was APPNA Medical Corps’ partnership with Syrian American Medical Society. Their physicians participated enthusiastically in the mission and along with APPNA physicians have given very positive feedback of their experience.
In future, APPNA Medical Corp will continue to conduct such medical missions to all areas of Pakistan and the world and will keep membership informed when volunteers are needed.
APPNA Medical Corps
Changing Lives Together
Babar Rao, MD
Chair, APPNA Medical Corps Committee
Some of the Physician Testimonials of the mission are as follows:
“I feel inspired by the amazing physicians who manage huge patient volumes and are still able to maintain some semblance of quality. I feel sad and frustrated that the systems are difficult to manage and improve, but determined to try. And I feel hopeful in meeting the youth of Pakistan – in the patients and medical students/residents who are trying to better their country every day. Thank you to my fellow physicians from APPNA, SAMS, SZH, and Children’s Hospital of Lahore for being such an inspiration. It was a pleasure and honor to meet you and I hope to continue this collaboration into the future.”
Dr. Minal Ahson
Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics
University of South Florida, Tampa
Thank you for such a rewarding experience, I look forward to it again.
Dr. Hassan Ali Shah
Assistant Professor, Oculoplastic Surgery
University of Chicago
“I want to thank you and everyone at the hospital for their wonderful hospitality and the opportunity to interact with the staff and patients and to learn from them and to share our experience and knowledge with them.”
Dr. Omar Ali
Associate Professor, Pediatric Endocrinology
Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
“It’s been a pleasure to work with such wonderful & committed docs. Hope to cross paths with you on future missions!”
Dr. Zainab Akhter Malik
Pediatrics ID, Mediclinic City Hospital, Dubai
“It was a fruitful trip. I hope and pray that we all keep up with the spirit of giving and offering our expertise where it’s most needed.”
Dr. Tokir Mujtaba
Internal Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina
“Words cannot describe how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to go to The Children Hospital in Lahore, Pakistan and work in their neonatal intensive care unit for a week. I think I learn more from the people there than the knowledge I impart on them. The resilience of the people in Lahore is truly inspiring. I am so grateful for APPNA and SAMS for teaming up to make this mission possible.”
Dr. Fozia Saleem Rasheed
Neonatology
William Beaumont Hospital, MI
“Please convey my heartiest felicitations to you and your American doctor team and all those who helped in organizing this visit to Shaikh Zayed hospital. We indeed learnt a great deal from all of them and hope to make it a permanent fixture in future.”
Professor Farid Khan
Chairman and Dean
Shaikh Zayed Medical Complex, Lahore
The mission is supported by Rotary Club. The following APPNA physicians made up the team: Family practice Doc from Chicago, Dr. Hassnain Syed. Internal Medicine/Pediatrician from Florida Dr. Minal Ahson, Pediatrician from Fresno Dr Razia Sheikh, Akbar Sheikh Pre-med student. The school now has between 450-500 kids from age of 5-18. We also see some kids that are called “dump kids” as they live around the dump located approximately a 1/4 mile away. They have a preschool there where the kids can go while their parents or grandparents pilfer through the dump looking for food or things they can salvage to sell or use in their living quarters whatever they might be. The school was built by Spain and it is really an awesome school, well maintained and provides the kids with two meals a day, some uniforms and a pays the salary of the teachers, principal and the nurse at the clinic. Although they have not been paid for the last two months as at times (like now) the money as yet to arrive.
It was a very successful mission where we saw and treated if needed 431 patients that would not have the benefit of being seen by a physician if it weren’t for this team. We provided free medications as needed for treatment and also Vitamins to girls and women between the age of 12-45 thanks to a grant from Vitamin Angels.
I can’t say enough or find the right words to say about the dedication and work that this team of individuals supplied and made a difference in the 431 kids and adults that they saw and the support that the teachers and student translators provided. Without all of them this would not be possible or successful. It is because of people like this team that gives me the reason to continue to provide what we can in an area where the need is so great. To us in the US it is totally hard to believe these individuals live on less than $25 a month.
Thank you APPNA and HAP/OBAT helpers for providing me with this opportunity. It has been great so far. It is a fulfilling experience. No issues. Local team is well organized and provides a quick response to your questions. Especially thankful to Mr. Zobair and Immad.
I didn’t face any challenges during travel. Flight to Dhaka, visa on arrival, immigration, local flight, transportation to hotel, all went smoothly. I met with Mr. Anwar, Immad, Zobair and Miss Anum on the day of arrival and they briefed me on what to do/expect. I visited the clinic with them on first day in the afternoon but didn’t see the patients since it was late during the day. Mr. Zobair also arranged a rental car with driver for daily transportation to/from clinic/hotel.
The need is great. Requires doctors expert in their fields on the ground in a sustainable fashion. You can buy/get the materials/supplies from the donations and money but not the expertise.
Camp is on the hill, clinic is deep in the camp and you have to walk up and down the hill to get to the clinic. I took a video of my walk from the dirt road where car drops you off to the clinic in the camp. It is about 10-15 minutes walk depending on your speed. It is especially helpful for the next group of volunteers who plan to come and give them visual of topography. I’ll try to send through WhatsApp or some other means.
I’ve attached few pictures. I’ll send more as we take more and collect from others who have taken the picks.
Dr. Mehmoodur Rasheed
from Medical Camp
Today got stopped at the roadside by RAB (Rapid Action Battalion) on our way back from refugee camp. All the foreigners were being stopped for passport/visa check I saw some whites working for UNICEF in that line.
One phone call and we were let go. It is important to keep all your papers related to trip including passport with visa with you if you are outside of your place of residence.
Most common complaints seen today in adults include upper and lower respiratory symptoms, GI symptoms. Few skin and urinary symptoms.
Besides primary care docs, GI and pulmonary docs will also have a lot to do here.
Dr. Mehmoodur Rasheed
from Medical Camp
By now we are sure that you are all well aware of the Humanitarian crisis posed by Rohingya refugees coming from Myanmar to Cox’s Bazar area of Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Government has been very gracious to accept the refugees but their resources are limited. It is a small Country with a huge population to care for.
There are lot of NGOS working there who are also providing healthcare. However, the needs are enormous. Responding to the needs of the hour, APPNA has decided to help through our APPNA Medical Corps. We are partnering with an NGO that is registered in United States as well as in Bangladesh. Several APPNA members in the past several weeks have had a chance to work with OBAT Helpers at their Medical Clinic and have had a very positive experience. Dr. Javed Akhtar, Past President APPNA worked at the clinic recently and will be available for the Volunteer briefing before your trip.You can learn more about OBAT Helpers at https://obathelpers.org/.
We have worked out logistics with OBAT Helpers and their ground staff. APPNA will provide Volunteers with local transport including daily trip to the clinic site.The Volunteers are advised though that the road stops short of the OBAT Clinic where they will be working. You will have to walk 2-3 Kilometers daily to get to the Clinic. Please make sure you have comfortable Boots and a reasonable stamina! APPNA and OBAT have worked out discount rates with a local Hotel in Cox’s Bazar. You are required to pay for your air fare and hotel stay.
Right now the most need is for Primary Care Physicians, Pediatricians, Emergency medicine and OBGYN. Other specialties will also be considered individually at least to train the local in house Physician and paramedical staff. We would like to send 2 Physicians for 1-2 weeks. Several physician have already volunteered for future trips. We encourage you to also volunteer your time for this extremely worthy cause and we promise it will be a challenging but very gratifying experience.
You can volunteer at http://appna.org/rohingyarelief/. Please contact the APPNA office at projects@appna.org for more information. Let us show the world that APPNA really shines when and where a humanitarian crisis strikes.
APPNA Rohingya Relief Group of Physicians who have already volunteered at Rohingya Camps in Bangladesh:
Dr. Shaheen Mian
Dr. Humeraa Qamar
Dr. Tanvir Chodhri
Dr. Aliya Ali
Dr. Mir Shujaat Ali
Dr. Usman
Dr. Farzana Naqvi
Dr. Bushra Dar
Dr. Helal Ekramuddin
Dr. Shahid Yousuf
Dr. Javed Akhtar
Dr. Zia Moiz
God bless, Yours in Service
APPNA Medical Corps
Changing Lives Together!
Mubasher Rana, MD
Chair, APPNA Medical Corp