Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA), an influential group of the expatriate community, vowed on Saturday to contribute its bid in raising the level of medical facilities in district hospitals in Pakistan.
President of APPNA, Dr Abdul Rashid Piracha told journalists that the organisation would provide required equipment at district hospitals and also extend expert opinion through tele-conferencing to help improve medical services in Pakistan.
The Association had already held tele-conferences with doctors in Pakistani cities, with its members answering questions about treatment of patients on latest lines. "This way we were reaching out to patients in several cities including remote areas like Skardu," added Piracha.
As part of its relief endeavours in the wake of October 8, earthquake, the Association was building two rehabilitation hospitals in Rawalpindi and Mansehra where it will provide services of artificial limb-fitting experts, he stated.
The 2500-member organisation of Pakistani physicians had responded to the catastrophe of unprecedented scale with financial contributions as well as donation of medical equipment, he added.
Dr Piracha also spoke of plans to serve the Pakistani community in America and revealed that the association would commence free basic medical services at its clinics from next year.
He also pledged to protect the rights of the Pakistani community in the United States and lobby with American lawmakers in this respect. "We were doing our best to help the Pakistani community and working to find ways to facilitate expatriates in all fields of endeavour," he said.
Recounting some recent achievements of the organisation, Dr Piracha said the APPNA lobbied with the US State Department and Department of Homeland Security for minimising the period of security clearance for Pakistani doctors travelling to America for residency programmes. Now the Pakistani doctors get clearance in most cases within six weeks, he added.
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