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AMHP
Newsletter | May 2010
Message from the Board
Assalaamualaikum,
Along
with our continued health reform advocacy efforts at the national,
state and local level, as part of our Health Education Initiative (HEI),
AMHP will be hosting and participating in events nationwide. From
presentations on health reform and prevalent health issues facing our
communities, to community health screenings, AMHP will provide
individuals and communities with vital information to address their
health and well being.
To make this a true, collective effort,
we hope that you'll make the time to participate in and volunteer at
these events. To learn more about upcoming events including the
health fair at IMAN's Takin' It to the Streets Festival in Chicago on
June 19th and our Parallel Sessions on Health Education and Muslim Free
Clinics at the Annual ISNA Convention, July 4th weekend, visit www.amhp.us.
Walaikumassalaam,
Madiha Qureshi, MPH
Secretary, AMHP
mqureshi@amhp.us
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 AMHP Advisor Attends SAMHSA
2010
Community Leaders and Interfaith Partnership Summit
Dr. Aneesah Nadir, President
of the Islamic Social Services Association-USA (ISSA) and AMHP advisor,
represented AMHP at the 2010 Community Leaders and Interfaith
Partnership Summit, Recovery: One Voice, One Community, One Purpose.
The summit was held May 5-7, 2010 in National Harbor, Maryland and was
hosted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA). Dr. Nadir was one of approximately 200 representatives
of secular and faith-based agencies and organizations who attended.
At the meeting, local-based
teams were formed to engage in ongoing solution-focused discussions to
find common ground for collaboration among secular and faith based
organizations and ways to expand service capacity in response to the
multiple and diverse needs of individuals and families affected by
substance use and mental health disorders and co-occurring illnesses
such as HIV/AIDS. Dr. Nadir is part of the Arizona team
which will be meeting regularly towards these efforts. |
AMHP and NPA advocate against healthcare budget cuts
in CA
Affan Shaikh
SACRAMENTO- An AMHP delegation supported by
National Physician's Alliance and hosted by Health Access, CA
(HA-CA) spent the day at the State Capital advocating against
proposed MediCal cuts in the current proposed budget. The
group visited over 16 offices meeting with legislators, staff, policy
analysts and legislative directors, and activists promoting key health
issues and concerns.
The
delegation, led by Dr. Faisal Qazi of AMHP and Jessica Roothhar of
Health Access, was composed of a diverse group of individuals and
experts, including free clinic advocates, finance experts, physicians
and students, bringing together a unique perspective and experience on
the current healthcare budget dilemmas. Among its priorities, the
delegation emphasized a comprehensive evaluation of continued MediCal
costs, disparities in various communities, dealing with waste in the
system as well as the impact of the proposed budget cuts, while urging
action for expedited implementation of federal reform measures.
Gov.
Schwarzenegger's proposed budget cuts decrease spending on critical
health services including MediCal and Healthy Families. AMHP, NPA
and HA-CA contend that these restrictions would be counterproductive in
the face of national healthcare reform and would only result in cost
shifting to other sectors. In a deficit of $20 billion, these cuts
would merely provide a savings of $90 million.
AMHP is
committed to reaching out to community leaders by promoting sound public
health policy and providing informative venues to the public.
AMHP's advocacy work at the state-level is part of a continued
effort to bring awareness to pressing health issues facing all
Americans.
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From
the Field: AMHP Health Screening in Southern California
Dr. Shadia Ahmed
Having been prompted by an email from the AMHP listserv needing
physicians for free health screenings, I chose to volunteer at the
Orange County Islamic Foundation in
Mission Viejo, California on May
1st for their big Sunday community event. Being a family
physician, I felt I could be a resource for people inquiring about
common health issues they might face.
Armed with my blood pressure machine and
stethoscope, I proceeded with introductions, examinations,
interpretations, and counseling. People of all ages were coming through,
from twelve year olds to elders. As with any doctor's visit,
there were people waiting to be seen, and others who wanted to know
more. I don't know how many people I saw, but the hours flew by.
It was a freeing experience to be able to connect with people and not
have to worry about documentation and paperwork for a change.
Some things that struck me about
the participants were that few of them had medical insurance and did not
go for annual health checkups or follow-up appointment for pre-existing
conditions. Many women expressed their desire to be seen by a
Muslim female physician who would understand their viewpoint.
At the health screening, I was
able to convey to participants the importance of regular checkups,
minimally an annual health exam for prevention and counseling and
discussing health issues as a family, to help younger family members
become aware of conditions that they might encounter in the
future.
I'm looking
forward to similar events in the future. My only regret is that I
didn't bring my nine year old along with me as my ancillary staff!
Dr. Shadia Ahmed is a Family
Practice physician in Southern California
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AMHP Listserv AMHP's listserv includes over 1000 healthcare professionals and
students from various disciplines across America. The listserv is open
to all without regard to gender, race and religion who seek to
collaboratively empower Muslim health professionals to improve the
quality and delivery of health services and increase access to care.
Interested in joining?
Email your name and email address to: contact@amhp.us.
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Join
us for AMHP's National Networking Luncheon
You are cordially invited to:
AMHP National Networking Luncheon
During the 47th Annual
ISNA Convention, Rosemont, IL
Registration is now open!
Register at www.amhp.us/events
Early bird
ticket cost:
$60 professional, $45 student
Early bird
registration deadline: June 23, 2010
Enjoy an opportunity to:
Hear a renowned speaker
in the public health field!
Network
with other Muslim health professionals from across the country!
Learn about AMHP and its accomplishments!
If you wish to be a sponsor of AMHP
Networking Luncheon and market your business, please contact Thabraize
Ahmed at tahmed@amhp.us
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Member Profile:
Ali Ansary
 Ali Ansary is the co-founder of
SeventyK (www.seventyk.org),
a volunteer-led, grass roots organization that advocates for
adolescents and young adults (age 15-39) with cancer. Ali holds an
M
Phil. from Cambridge University in Bioscience Enterprise and a B.S. in
Nutritional Science from UC Berkley.
Ali is a recipient of
this year's Ariane de Rothschild Fellowship, a fellowship through the
Columbia Business School, which focuses on social change and cross
cultural dialogue (http://www4.gsb.columbia.edu/execed/rothschild).
A
past intern at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Ali has a
particular interest in translational medicine and creating affordable
and accessible healthcare. He can be reached at: ali@aliansary.com. |
Upcoming
Events
AMHP has partnered with
the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) to coordinate a health fair
at their 2010 Takin' it to the Streets' Festival on June 19, 2010. Takin'
It to the Streets is a festival on the South-side of Chicago with
over 20,000 attendees and participants.
IMAN is a
community-based nonprofit that works for social justice, delivers a
range of social services, and cultivates the arts in urban settings. The
health fair will take place from 9am-5pm in Marquette Park and will
feature workshops on healthy eating, healthcare reform, obesity, and
violence prevention, as well as a variety of screenings, a blood drive,
and free vaccinations. For more information on Takin' It to
the Streets, please visit: streets2010.com
Image: www.streets2010.com |
Support AMHP!
Since its inception in
2004, the American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP) has been actively
engaged in public health initiatives to better the health of all
Americans.
As a 501 c3 non-profit charitable
organization, AMHP relies solely on the generosity of those who wish to
improve the quality and delivery of health services and increase access
to care.
Donate online using the link below or mail checks
payable to AMHP to:
1284 S. Vermont Street
Palatine, IL
60067
Make a Donation
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