Governor Anandiben Patel said that Indian culture’s acceptance to follow that ‘prevention of disease is better than cure’, the concept of Yoga and the tradition of cleanliness have helped a lot in preventing the pandemic. Patel said that only doctors have the power to bring smile on the face of suffering humanity. They are an incarnation of God. She expressed her gratitude for the services of the doctors and the medical assistance, cooperation and guidance extended to India by the expatriate doctors of Indian origin during the unprecedented crisis facing humanity during the Covid-19 pandemic. Patel was addressing the 39th conference of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), an organisation of Indian-origin doctors, virtually from Raj Bhavan, Lucknow. More than 500 Indian origin doctors joined the conference. Governor Patel said that despite the huge population, the vaccination drive for all is being successfully carried out rapidly in India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

She said that under self-reliant India, development works in the health sector and strengthening of infrastructure are being done continuously. There were only six AIIMS medical institutes in the country in the year 2014, which has now increased to 15. In the field of health, the budget allocation in the year 2021-22 has doubled as compared to earlier. Terming the loss of life in the medical field during the Covid pandemic as unfortunate, Patel paid tribute to them. She said, “The medical community has an important role to play in alleviating the sufferings of humanity and saving lives. So, the doctors should take full care of their health. Keep updating yourself constantly with the new experiments happening in the field of medicine.” She said that citizens of Indian origin living in America have maintained constant contact with their motherland and they continue to support the people of India. Governor Patel said that the Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) has a proud history in the field of medicine, service to humanity and supporting physicians in their profession and efforts to excel. Hundreds of programmes are being run by AAPI in the field of women empowerment, TB free India, clean drinking water projects, global medical education, cancer care etc.

 

She expressed her gratitude to the organisation for the strategic cooperation extended by the organisation in providing oxygen concentrators to the whole of India and in meeting the challenge of during the Covid pandemic. Congratulating the organization for its continues progress, she recalled the efforts made in the fields of social service, environment, education and health in the joint partnership of Global Life and to help Thalassemia patients in Gujarat. She expressed hope that AAPI and Global Life organisation will continue to cooperate in the same way in the service to humanity. Governor Patel said that she is first an educationist and then a political person. Along with teaching, she has worked in many fields. She firmly believes that along with education in rural areas, work for women empowerment is also necessary. Patel told that she has been associated with Share and Care, an organisation of Indians living in America, since 1998.

 

This organisation is working in solving various economic, social challenges in India. It is cooperating in the field of moral education of school going children of rural and poor settlements. The organisation is helping in creating employment opportunities for women in association with the Gramshree Trust. During the Covid pandemic, in collaboration with the Environment and Sanitation Institute, the work of relief work such as supply of medicines, oximeters, daily necessities etc. has been done in 16 villages under Lokmitra Innovations. It is commendable for the organization to work on a $57 million project for Covid treatment with the Indian Federation. Recalling the cooperation of Life Project organization in the construction of primary schools, development of basic facilities after the earthquake of 2001 in Gujarat, she said that 98 schools were built by the organization in rural areas where thousands of children are receiving education. The organisation has helped in the upliftment of more than 85 thousand women belonging to socially and economically weaker section in Gujarat.