The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), a prominent non-profit representing over 35,000 Indian-American physicians, has initiated a significant campaign to increase bone marrow and stem cell registrations across the United States.
This initiative, which is being carried out in partnership with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), aims to expand the pool of Indian-American donors, a vital step in assisting patients with leukemia and lymphoma.
“Patients with leukemia and lymphoma need bone marrow or blood stem cell transplant to survive. Finding matching donors for cancer patients is difficult, especially for those of Indian and South Asian ethnicity. This drive, in which dozens of local AAPI chapter leaders, members, and volunteers across the US have participated, is to increase the limited pool of donors and create awareness among more youth and adults to enroll,” said Dr. Satheesh Kathula, an oncologist based in Dayton, Ohio, and the president of AAPI for the 2024-2025 term.
Indian Americans, who make up a significant portion of the physician workforce in the United States, have long been involved in health advocacy and research. According to Dr. Kathula, about 25% of doctors in the US are immigrants, and a large majority of them are Indian Americans. These physicians hold critical positions in healthcare, research, academia, and administration, and many of them serve in underserved areas, offering essential care to populations in need.
Dr. Kathula also emphasized the value of Indian-American physicians in the medical field: “In the US, about 25% of the doctors are immigrants, and of that number, the majority are Indian Americans. Indian American physicians hold key positions not just in healthcare but also in research, academia, and administration. Many serve in critical positions in underserved areas Read More….
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