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Dear APPNA St. Louis Members, |
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At the outset, I would like to thank my colleagues for con¬sidering me for a position on the APPNA – Greater St. Louis Executive Council. As a physician in general and a physician of Pakistani descent in particular, I considered it an opportunity to support members of our community locally, nationally, and abroad. Each of us understands and appreciates that, given the bounties and blessings we have received, it is our obligation to assist those in need who are less fortunate. Collectively, of course, we can achieve more than individually, by pooling our talents and skills, by donating our time and financial resources, by doing the grunt work, and, most importantly, by providing leadership. During my years on the EC and as President this year, I am more and more impressed by the initiative, dedica¬tion, creativity, and generosity of APPNA Greater St. Louis membership and the St. Louis community en large. This has been the genesis of the APPNA – Greater St. Louis Chapter Journal for 2010. |
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The objective of this Journal is to summarize many of the philanthropic activities that have been the focus of the AP¬PNA - Greater St. Louis community in 2010. I am happy to report that a number of these endeavors were initiated by individual APPNA STL members themselves. As such, the APPNA – Greater St. Louis Chapter was able to fulfill its role as a facilitator to help translate these ideas into action. This is apparent when we look at all of our efforts to assist in Pakistan’s Flood Relief, the main humanitarian crisis that, unfortunately, invariably drew our attention in 2010. Here, the APPNA - Greater St. Louis membership mobilized through individual donations, through collective fund raising efforts coordinated with national APPNA, the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis, the Human Development Fund, and Edhi Foundation, among others. Our participation involved a multi-faceted strategy that included volunteering directly at camps for Pakistanis displaced by the Floods, donation of over $200,000 at fundraising at IFGSTL, clothing shipments to Pakistan, and medicine shipments to Pakistan. These efforts are highlighted in greater detail in this Journal and on the AP¬PNA – Greater St. Louis Chapter website (www.mo-appna. org). I would like to personally thank everyone for their heart¬felt generosity. It goes without saying that we will continue to work on these projects, as the effects of the Floods will remain a major humanitarian mission in the ensuing years. |
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As health care providers, one of our missions is to promote health awareness and prevent disease onset and progression. In this regard, the APPNA – Greater St. Louis Chapter organized four health screening sessions in 2010 at differ¬ent community centers and mosques in St. Louis, including in West County, North County, and St. Louis City. In total, over 200 individuals were screened for hypertension, glau¬coma, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity. Several individuals were referred to outpatient clinics for further management of these diseases. We participated in the APPNA National Health Care Day on June 5, 2010 with a free health screen¬ing at Masjid Bilal at West Pine. We continue to work closely with dedicated members of the community, including several APPNA – Greater St. Louis Past Presidents, to establish a regular, weekend free health clinic at Masjid Bilal. As all documents have been submitted to the pertinent certification boards, I am confident that, God willing, the APPNA Com¬munity Health Clinic STL will open for service in early 2011. I know that I can count on our eager membership to make the free health clinic an effective resource for many uninsured and under-insured patients. |
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As physicians of Pakistani descent now training and prac¬ticing in St. Louis, we have access to medical, technological and surgical advances that may not be readily available to physi¬cians in Pakistan. The APPNA – Greater St. Louis Chapter EC initiated a program to invite physicians from academic institutions in Pakistan to attend continuing education and skills transfer courses in the States. The APPNA – Greater St. Louis chapter, along with the Society of Pakistani Oph¬thalmologists International, Al-Shifa Foundation of North America, and the National Health Forum, sponsored a skills transfer course in advanced corneal surgery in June 2010. As a result, Dr. Wajid Ali Khan has begun teaching new corneal transplant techniques at Al-Shifa Eye Trust Hospital and the Pakistan Institute of Ophthalmology in Rawalpindi. He also received training on Eye Banking techniques and Eye Bank development from the Mid-America Transplant Services, St.Louis. Our goal now is to expand such programs for other medical sub-specialties. We look for guidance from our mem¬bership in this regard. |
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In summary, the APPNA – Greater St. Louis member¬ship is comprised of leaders in community service, in academic excellence, and in religious, political, and Interfaith organiza¬tions. The members of APPNA STL who have held or are currently holding executive or committee positions in APPNA and its alumni organizations, and other professional organiza¬tions, are too numerous to mention. I am especially proud that St. Louis will host the APPNA Summer meeting during the July 4 weekend 2011 and Dr. Manzoor Tariq will begin his term as APPNA President come January, which will give each one of us an opportunity to showcase our professional talents, our commitment to APPNA and our Chapter, our dedica¬tion to health care issues in Pakistan, and our ability to work together in order to help together. The upcoming year will undoubtedly be a time of growth of the APPNA – Greater St. Louis Chapter, as the community health clinic expands, as the logistics of organizing the 2011 Summer Meeting broaden, and as old and new philanthropic projects demand our atten¬tion. It is clear, from my year as President of the Greater St. Louis chapter, that we are well equipped to collectively meet these challenges. I look forward, therefore, to your continued participation and leadership in…Giving Back! |
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With sincere thanks,
Mujtaba A. Qazi, MD
APPNA – Greater St. Louis Chapter, President 2010
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