Indian American physicians seek blanket immunity and indemnification for helping Covid-19 patients in India.
The American Association of Physicians of Indian-Origin (AAPI) has written to 100 US senators to urge the White House to send more Covid vaccines to India amid a deadly surge.
The largest ethnic medical association in the US, representing nearly 100,000 Indian-origin doctors in America, has also sought meetings with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to stress the importance of sending much needed vaccines to India.
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“We seek your strongest effort to convince the White House to permit more vaccine raw material to be released immediately for local vaccine production, as well as increasing all types of assistance, in a catastrophe of such magnitude,” wrote AAPI’s Legislative Wing Chairman, Dr. Sampat Shivangi to the senators.
“At present, India is experiencing acute and severe shortages of the Covid-19 vaccines,” wrote Shivangi, member National Advisory Council, SAMHSA, Center for National Mental Health Services, Washington DC, according to an AAPI press release.
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“Astra Zeneca is releasing 60 million vaccines after due FDA approval this month,” he wrote. “We urge the US government to release send at least 30 million doses of the vaccine to India.”
AAPI also urged the Indian American community “to be the spokespersons for humanity”, and convince Biden, Harris and lawmakers in this regard.
“We are delighted that President has declared America’s return to world affairs, and he should be at the helm of this emergency response,” AAPI said
Dr. Sajani Shah, Chair of AAPI Board of Trustees, said, “We have a team of volunteers and support and guidance of experienced leaders, who have come forward to enable and empower our efforts to curtail this crisis.”
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Meanwhile, AAPI has sought blanket immunity and indemnification from the Indian government for offering their voluntary services to Covid-19 patients either virtually or in-person by flying to their home country amidst an unprecedented second wave of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
In letters to Indian Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan requested the Indian government to “provide a blanket immunity and indemnification for volunteering physicians from the USA, providing Covid related medical care in India,” Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, President-Elect of AAPI said.
“We are continuing to interact with the physicians back in India to answer their questions. AAPI as a group and individual physicians are reaching out almost on a daily basis with doctors on ground in India,” Dr. Ravi Kolli, Vice President of AAPI said.
READ: Indian American groups thank Biden for helping Covid hit India (April 27, 2021)
Dr. Sathesh Kathula, Treasurer of AAPI said, “In less than a week, AAPI has raised $2.6 million. AAPI has so far sent 1,000 oxygen concentrators and is in the process of sending another 1,000.
“We at AAPI are determined to mobilize the massive medical help and support, that India needs at this hour,” said AAPI President Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, “Any further spread of such toxic material around the globe can only be apocalyptical, a specter that could be prevented now.”
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