News

AMHP at ISNA 2011

Saturday, July 2nd, 2011

AMHP will be at ISNA this year. This year, ISNA's Annual Convention is in Chicago on the weekend of July 4th. We will be participating in a Parallel Session discussing healthy living and a session on Muslim Free Clinics.  Please join us at these events.

ISNA Parallel Session

Healthy Living through Leadership and Collaboration - Let's Move in the Muslim Community

Over the past year, American Muslim parents, organizers and professionals have joined their neighbors in creating innovative and engaging programs to promote the health of their families and address the childhood obesity epidemic. From farmers markets to exercise contests, these efforts have united powerful ideas like physical and mental wellness and sustainable, safe and healthy eating. This timely discussion will focus on introducing an innovative partnership bringing together American Muslim community organizations and health leaders with government partners to promote the First Lady’s Let’s Move campaign. Invited panelists will include American Muslim health care professionals and organizers involved in health promotion, young leaders in sports and federal officials working closely with faith communities on such efforts. Panelists will share their experiences and best practices and discuss the rationale, strategy and community leadership necessary to successfully implement the initiative. This panel is sponsored by American Muslim Health Professionals, the Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals and the Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers.

Moderator: Sameer Siddiqi

Panelists: Heidi Christensen (HHS), Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir (NCAA Division I Memphis Tigers), Altaf Kaiseruddin (IMAN)

Session: 9D

Date: Saturday, July 2, 2011

Time: 5:30-7:00 PM

Location: Room 30

AMHP, ISNA and MFCC Sponsored Seminar

Muslim Free Clinics

Summary: The session will bring together clinic directors/administrators/physicians who operate free clinics around the country (as well as those interested in starting a free clinic) to discuss:

• Changes in health care today:  How will these changes affect free clinics nation-wide?

1. Affordable Care Act
2. Value Based Purchasing
3. New Policies & Procedures

• New perspectives on how to run a Free Clinic:

1. Partnership model
2. Integration
3. Growth & Opportunities

 

Location: Hyatt O'hare

Date: Sunday, July 3, 2011

Time: 9:00am-1:00pm

Deadline to RSVP: Tuesday, June 28, 2011

If you or someone from your clinic plans on attending the seminar please send an RSVP to AMHP's Free Clinic Task Force Project Manager, Amal Merchant at amerchant@amhp.us.

 

AMHP and First Lady's Let's Move Faith and Communities Campaign

Monday, November 29th, 2010

 

 

 

AMHP urges all its members to participate in the First Lady’s call launching her Let’s Move Campaign on Monday, November 29, 2010 (see call details below) at 2:30pm EST.  AMHP has been one of few organizations invited to attend the call in-person.  Rabia Akram, AMHP President, will be participating on the call from White House and has pledged to combat obesity by committing AMHP and its members to:

• Walking 10,000 miles or participating in 10 exercise programs
• Achieving 20 Presidential Active Lifestyle Awards
• Hosting 2 feeding programs at congregations or organizations
• Hosting 1 farmers markets or community garden at congregation or community organization

We hope that Muslim Americans across the country will participate in the Let’s Move initiative and help AMHP achieve the goals we have committed to.

 

You are Invited to a National Conference Call Marking the Launch of Let’s Move: Faith and Communities with First Lady Michelle Obama

Date: Monday, November 29th, 2010
Time: 2:30 PM Eastern, 1:30 PM Central, 12:30 PM Mountain, 11:30 AM Pacific
Dial-in information: 1-888-790-3160 (no passcode needed)

First Lady Michelle Obama will join with faith and community leaders by conference call to formally launch Let’s Move: Faith and Communities.  Let’s Move! is the First Lady’s initiative to solve the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation.  On the call, we will discuss ways your organization can participate, unveil a new toolkit to support action, highlight exciting challenge opportunities.  And several faith and community leaders will announce their responses to the Let’s Move challenges!

 

You do not need to RSVP for this call. If you have questions, please email partnerships@hhs.gov

AMERICAN MUSLIM LEADERS ANSWER OBAMA’S HEALTH CARE CALL

Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

HHS and the White House Urge Faith Leaders to Inform Communities about Health Care Changes Starting Thursday, September 23

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 22, 2010) – Yesterday afternoon, President Obama and Secretary Kathleen Sebelius of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services joined faith leaders from around the nation on a conference call to celebrate the 6-month anniversary of health care reform advances and to address new benefits that will come into effect this Thursday, September 23, 2010 under the new Patients’ Bill of Rights. For example, young people up to age 26 will now be able stay on their parents plan, whereas the previous standard cut-off age was age 23.

The call included questions from notable faith leaders, including Dr. Ingrid Mattson of the Islamic Society of North America, and was attended by representatives of over 50 free clinics affiliated with American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP).

“Faith is a powerful motivator for health care reform advocacy. Health is a human right, and members of faith communities must continue to push forward together and improve health in America in these important days ahead of us,” stated AMHP’s President, Rabia Akram.

Secretary Sebelius underscored the importance of faith communities in improving the health of the nation, citing people’s deep trust and regular engagement within their communities, common to faith organizations.

American Muslims in the health profession have consistently worked together in their mosques, clinics and charitable organizations to provide public health and medical assistance to all Americans, particularly those most in need.

President Obama urged community and faith leaders to educate their communities about the upcoming health care changes and thanked leaders for clarifying misconceptions about benefits in the Affordable Care Act. AMHP is answering the President’s call and will be providing information about these benefits, beginning Thursday (September 23, 2010) morning on AMHP’s website, http://www.amhp.us/, and asks its members and allies to share information about these new benefits with their congregations.

AMHP applauds the President and Secretary’s commitment to improving the health of the nation and recognizing the important role of faith organizations in realizing this goal.

 

AMHP at ISNA

Saturday, July 3rd, 2010

AMHP will be at ISNA this year.  This year, ISNA's Annual Convention is in Chicago on the weekend of July 4th.  We will be participating in a Parallel Session discussing health education topics, as well as a session on Muslim Free Clinics, and our Annual Networking Luncheon. 

Education Parallel Session

Muslim Free Clinics Session

Keynote Speaker: Dr. James Galloway, Assistant U.S. Surgeon General

For additional details and registeration, click here.

 

AMHP at IMAN's Takin' it to the Streets

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

AMHP, in collaboration with the Inner-City Muslim Action Network's (IMAN), will be hosting a health fair at Takin' it to the Streets.  Takin' it to the Streets is an annual festival put by IMAN.  This year, it will be on June 19, 2010 in Chicago, IL. 

This day-long, Muslim-led festival will be held in Marquette Park, in the southwest part of the City and will attract an audience of 20,000 people. The festival aims to bring the arts, spirituality, and a passion for justice together to inspire social change. The event will feature an array of arts, music, forums, and activities, including a large health fair with screenings and health education workshops. 

The health fair will consist of various health screenings, including measuring BMI, diabetes, and eye exams, among others.  In addition, AMHP will be conducting a number of health education workshops throughout the day.  These workshops will address issues such as healthy lifestyles with a focus on anti-obesity efforts and the new healthcare reform law and what it means to patients. 

AMHP volunteers organize Health Screening at Humanitarian Day in Inland Empire of southern CA

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

(Ontario, California) Humanitarian Day, a day dedicated to serve the homeless, was a tremendous success this past Saturday.  Despite the overwhelming heat and long weekend, over fifty volunteers dedicated their time and energy towards serving the homeless at the Mercy House, a homeless shelter located in Ontario, CA.

Humanitarian Day has developed into an international phenomenon thanks to the efforts of people like Umar Hakim, a long time organizer of Humanitarian Day.  Hakim explained that Humanitarian Day is the result of a social network of volunteers, organizations and institutions that share resources to plan such projects.  This network is organized by The Coalition to Preserve Human Dignity. AMHP had the honor of participating in Humanitarian Day this weekend.  AMHP members worked with the Shifa Free Clinic of San Bernadino to organize a large scale health screening.  With the effort of about fifteen volunteers stationed at seven booths it was possible to conduct body mass index, blood sugar, blood pressure and vision testing.  Additionally, experts in health care including dentists, nutritionists, pharmacists, and Shifa Free Clinic Physicians provided counseling sessions to the participants.  Those individuals in need of further care were referred to the Shifa Clinic for free services. The event was a great success for both the volunteers and participants.  Almost 200 people were able to benefit from the services provided at Humanitarian Day.  The volunteers’ commitment to making this event a success is best summarized by Iyad Afalqa, the AMHP lead coordinator.  Afalqa stated that “This is really when one can relate to what it means to be needy.  Today we execute or spiritual strength of Ramadan into physical action and also experience the plight of the needy.” AMHP is pleased that the event was a success but understands that there is much more work to be done to alleviate the plight of the disenfranchised.  Dr. Faisal Qazi, the President of AMHP, commented that  “Such opportunities to serve those that are living in the most dire circumstances can never be frequent enough, but while we must continue to provide direct charitable services, we should also strive to make systematic changes in our social settings to benefit those in need.”  Dr. Qazi hopes to further AMHP’s commitment to improving access to health care through participating in more projects of this nature.  Thus far AMHP has helped organize and participated in nine service projects and four educational forums on health reform as part of the United We Serve Campaign.  President Obama initiated this Campaign to call upon all Americans to engage in public services. It is important to harness the efforts of all those that can donate their time, energy, and/or resources in order to truly accomplish the goals of projects like Humanitarian Day.  Naim Shah, the founder of ILM  Foundation and a pioneer of the Humanitarian Day project,  reminds us that "Reward is granted each of us for good ideas and intentions, but a greater reward is reserved for those who are permitted by God to carry them out in to action."

9/7/09
Sumaira Arastu

Muslim Health Professionals From Across the Nation Advocate for Health Reform

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) A delegation from American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP) visited Washington, DC on June 25-26 to advocate for health reform.  The group met with a number of congressional offices and partner organizations, including Faithful for Health Reform, which held a rally at Freedom Plaza representing a coalition of faith community leaders passionate about health access and equity.    

With domestic health care reform high on the President's agenda, AMHP felt the time was right to move forward with more direct and reaching advocacy efforts. "Both the Senate and the House were all on the right track regarding eliminating certain health care costs," explained Dr. Yasir Shareef, neurologist from Phoenix who had the opportunity to meet with congressional staffers. "Currently, there are over 120 million people either uninsured or underinsured, and this motivates us to work harder before the problem continues to get worse."

Members of AMHP felt a trip to Washington was critical in order to voice their concerns during this short window of opportunity for comprehensive reform.  AMHP has been deeply engaged in issues of health reform.  Last year, AMHP Policy Analyst, Rabia Akram, drafted a health policy brief comparing the McCain and Obama plans for healthcare overhaul.  Since then, AMHP has led a grassroots effort to articulate a vision for change.  AMHP organized a number of health reform seminars across the country in March of this year.  “These seminars attracted experts in the field that were able to educate and empower our communities to understand the nature of this crisis and take action”, said Dr.Faisal Qazi, President of AMHP and architect of its policy program.

"From both an Islamic and an American background, it is our duty to support these grassroots efforts in order to get things going,” said Dr. Shareef, a member AMHP’s Task Force on Health Affordability.  Members of this team have been constantly evaluating the data and following the language and committee hearings closely. 

The AMHP Washington, DC delegation was an extension of this process.  Dr. Imran Khan, a member of the Task Force said, “It was a tremendous learning opportunity and we realized that these laws, even if 800 pages long, are written by people like you and me, most of whom appreciate some help writing them.”

Khizer Husain, the lead Washington-based coordinator for this recent lobby day said, “Muslim Americans need to build relationships with legislators.  We can be a conduit to our communities and folks on the Hill appreciate this.” 

Besides this commitment to political engagement and health reform, AMHP enjoys the unique position of having a comprehensive public health view and has become an organization focused on education, prevention, access, delivery and policy in the realm of healthcare. The organization’s work places an emphasis on public service to all members of the community.

Neveen Abdelghani

The August Initiative is now launched!

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

 

The “August Initiative” is a project to get all of our members out and advocating for health care reform by contacting their legislators while they are in their home districts, during the August recess. 

August is the opportune time to have your voices heard on the issues that matter the most to you.  We encourage the community to make this needed outreach that will shape the future of health care this country. 

A number of organizations and community leaders have endorsed this initiative as it is a vital for the engagement and empowerment of our community and is a moral obligation that helps usher in positive change to the health care system.

"Health care reform is most certainly an ethical issue that needs the attention of American Muslims.  Millions of our neighbors, including children, are sick and in pain because they do not have adequate health care.  Infections go untreated, chronic illnesses worsen, days at school and work are missed. Muslim Americans are already working to provide treatment to some of the needy through community clinics. These clinics, although important, have limited impact, and can never take the place of a fair health care system. Working for justice is a fundamental duty of Islam, and I am proud that the AMHP is leading our community in showing how we can rectify the injustice of there being millions of Americans without adequate health care, when we live in a country of such wealth." - Dr. Ingrid Mattson, President, Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)

"We support the AMHP's call to health care reform.  These practical policy directives are the public face of our combined faith principles that see health as a human responsibility in which we all share, an individual right that must be made manifest for our common good.  We are proud to share this vision for the health of all our people" – Reverend Dr. Rick Schlosser, Executive Director, California Council of Churches and California Church IMPACT