IAMA plans endowment of $ 1 million
Surendra Ullal
http://indiapost.com/
CHICAGO: The Indian American Medical Association (IL) Charitable Foundation that operates a free medical clinic in Chicago, plans to create an endowment of $ one million in coming years to make the clinic self sufficient.Announcing this at the semi annual meeting and fundraising dinner event of the Foundation held at India House Banquet in Schaumburg last week Dr Manish Brahmbhatt, president, said that a proposal was also being considered to extend the clinic hours to week days and adding subspecialty and ancillary services.
Welcoming the guests, he presented the Report of the Foundation and briefly touched upon the activities of the Foundation. He complimented the vision and compassion of its founding members and thanked the IAMA members as well as the business community for their contributions to maintain and improve its services rendered by the Clinic. Earlier, Dr Deepak Mittal, President of the IAMA, referred to the various humanitarian services extended by the foundation.
As he appreciated and thanked the volunteer physicians and students for the help in this noble cause, he urged the IAMA members to join as volunteers to provide and improve the free services at the Clinic on the Peterson Avenue in Chicago.
He pointed out that the free services are not just restricted to Asians, but extended to all Chicagoans. On behalf of the IAMA Executive Committee he thanked each and every one involved for their generous support to the IAMA IL Charitable Clinic. He thanked all those who helped the cause of the clinic, especially, every member of the IAMACF executive committee members.
He closed his address with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”Dr Steve Sauerberg, M.D, a Congressional candidate in the coming elections, was a guest speaker. In his address, he observed that “we have more than 47 million uninsured people in the US.
There had been many attempts to provide health insurance, but our progress is dismal. Powerful vested interests are working against legislation to offer universal health insurance for all citizens of our country. Over 87 percent of the elected members of the Congress are trial lawyers, who are the most powerful lobby. We should, therefore, create a group to resist their attempts”.
He urged fellow physicians to join this common fight to provide health insurance to all citizens, especially those in real need. Among those attending were over 250 supporters and friends including Mafat Patel, Banker Amarish Mahajan and Naren Patel of Medstar Lab. In his brief address as the Chief Guest, Swaminathan Shastri, M.D. President of Illinois State Medical Society, appealed to physician community to be alert and support a number issues important to the physicians in Illinois, especially the Tort Reform Legislation, Medical Malpractice Bill and Liability Reform Bill.
He urged these bills must pass so that Illinois physicians stop relocating to other States to escape the exorbitant insurance malpractice and other anti-physician and anti-people conditions in Illinois.An Appreciation Award was presented to Dr Rambha Radhakrishan for her dedicated services to the Foundation.
A significant donation was made to the Foundation by Naren Patel, CEO of Medstar Lab. Drs Annita John and Usha Nimmagadda were the Master of Ceremonies. There was cultural program after dinner with popular entertainer Sahil as the DJ. Neeru Nagpal proposed the vote of thanks.
