COVID19 Stories from the front line - A Tribute to APPNA Heroes
We are living in unprecedented times -- a time with extensive lockdown and social distancing -when COVID-19 has already taken more than 50,000 American lives. The doctors and all healthcare providers continue to serve humanity at this challenging time. The New York and New Jersey have been the epicenter of this pandemic in the US where APPNA member physicians are among those who have put their own lives at risk to take care of the patients with this deadly disease.
Dr. Nisar A. Qureshi
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Dr. Mahmood Alam
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Dr. Qazi Kamal Haider
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Dr. Arif Mumtaz
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Dr. Abdul Majeed
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Dr. Faheem Butt
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Dr. Nisar A. Qureshi, a Pakistani descent physician, gave his life for his profession while working in NYC. May Allah bless his soul in eternal peace in Janatul Firdous, Ameen. Dr. Niaz, NJ, has been critically on ventilator support. Dr. Nadeem Qureshi, St. Louis, Dr. Abdul Majeed and Mrs. Zainab Majeed, NY, Dr. Arif Mumtaz, NY, Dr. Syed Raheel Hassan and Mrs. Raheel, NJ, Dr. Mahmood, and Dr. Lubna Alam, NJ, Dr. Faheem Butt and Mrs. Seema Butt, NY, Dr. Kamal Haider and Farah Haider, NY, Madiha Javed and her husband Mr. Javed NJ-NY, Adil Rasheed, NJ, Dr. Yasmeen Nazli, NJ, Debbie Ang, RN, working for an APPNA physician in NJ are among those affected by the virus with varying degrees of symptoms. Some of them were hospitalized and are on their way to recovery.
Please keep all those effected especially Dr. Niaz in your prayers in this blessed month of Ramadan. We believe there may be a lot more APPNA members who are affected.
Please share your experience either if you are fighting the disease in the critical care areas or if you want to share your personal experience as a COVID-19 patient being a physician. Please write to us at info@appna.org
Dr. Mushaid Farooqi
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When I was tested positive for Covid-19, the one question that continued to haunt me was: "How did I get the virus?"
Then I thought of a patient and realised that I probably may have been infected by that person.
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Dr. Mahin Alamgir
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I am a Pakistan- and US-trained, board certified physician with specialty training in infectious diseases, now pursuing a third specialty in New York - the current epicenter of the epidemic in the United States. I contracted Covid-19 a few weeks back, before it had gripped New York.
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Dr. Zain Khakwani
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I am 2nd year Cardiology Fellow at Newark Beth Israel Center, NJ (just outside NYC) which serves a poorer, minority population. In mid-March we began getting a lot of COVID-19 patients, just as the epidemic was sweeping NYC. In the beginning there was.....
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Thank you for your donations
We sincerely thank all who donated for APPNA COVID19 efforts. We want to specially thank Mr. Ashar Aziz, a non physician for his very generous donation of $300,000 to APPNA.
Message from Mr. Ashar Aziz
I was and am extremely worried about the health and safety of our front line health workers, who lack the basic protective safety equipment to do their jobs in these dangerous times. My own brother was in a NYC hospital where they were struggling for PPE. And the situation is similar in other hospitals around the US. And hospitals in Pakistan are or will likely soon be facing similar challenges. So I partnered with APPNA to help medical workers in the US, the country where we all live, but APPNA also has the ability to provide PPE to medical professionals in Pakistan who will be facing dire challenges in the months ahead, as the toll of this virus continues to climb. So that's why I chose to work with all of you.
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APPNA had a very successful seminar on 4/26 for COVID19 pandemic relief efforts in USA and Pakistan. This was a very enthusiastic outpouring of support by APPNA members and donors. Pledges of over $200,000 were received. The telephone calls kept coming at a rapid pace and the telethon had to take a break every 30 minutes so as to keep up the tally. Donors were encouraged to call in and express their sentiments. Many APPNA chapters, alumni and other groups as well as APPNA partners such as Helping Hands were given either telephone time or screen time.
Viewers who logged in were able to hear APPNA and its affiliates
describe their efforts. Dr. Shahnaz Khan (FL) was giving reports from Lahore Pakistan, Dr. Arshad Rehan (Treasurer 2020) described efforts at Khyber Medical College Peshawar where 400 families in the tribal areas were being given rations for a month, Pakistani origin medical residents described their efforts in front line work with COVID patients in USA. Dr. Aisha Zafar (APPNA Social Welfare and Disaster Relief Committee Chair 2020) described the month long ongoing donations to US soup kitchens, lunches to hospital workers, food rations in various regions of Pakistan (including Gilgit Baltistan, Loralei Baluchistan).
APPNA is also running daily audio video consultations with the doctors in Pakistan through its very successful MERIT program. Dr. Sajid Chaudhary Chair COVID-19 Task Force outlined the work that his committee is doing and it included direct patient care, donation of supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) for hospital workers both in US and Pakistan, coordinating work with various US organizations.
Submitted by
Shahid Yousuf, MD.
APPNA LTM
Picture above: Top Row L to R: Dr. Haroon Durrani, Secretary APPNA 2020, Dr. Rizwan Khalid, President Elect APPNA 2020, Dr. Aisha Zafar, Chair APPNA SWDRC 2020, Dr, Sajid Chaudhary, Chair APPNA COVID-19 Taskforce
Bottom Row L to R: Dr. Naheed Usmani, APPNA President 2020, Dr. Shahzad Iqbal, Dr. Asif Rahman, Chair APPNA BOT 2020
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APPNA CHAPTERS COVID19 EFFORTS
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ALABAMA S 7000 with APPNA match for PPE in Alabama.
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Dallas KE doctors distributed 100 lunch boxes for Methodist hospital staff and donated 800 Face shields
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DMV (DC/Maryland/VA) held free Covid19 testing clinic, donated $11K to local N. VA Food pantry, PPEs ordered for local hospitals ($16K), donated for US food pantries ($18K) and Pakistan ($10K).
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Georgia raised S10K for food packages for 500 families in Pakistan, 100 in every province including Gilgit. Provided 2000 hot meals for local first responders and healthcare workers, and masks for 10 Atlanta hospitals.
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HEARTLAND (KS) Ordered PPE for $7000 with APPNA match for local hospitals.
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Kentucky: Dr. Babar Cheema distributed 4000 KN95 masks.
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MINNESOTA $9K for food with APPNA match. 2000 N95 masks with $4k raised + $3.5K APPNA match
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New Jersey Dr. Nasar Qureshi delivered 1000 surgical masks to Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas health system, 200 KN95 to Schneck Medical Center ER in Indiana.
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New York COVID19 helplines for NYC's Pakistani and Spanish speaking communities in collaboration with ICNA Relief. Donated $5K to ICNA Relief for food distribution. Volunteered to distribute food to Pakistani community, lunch and dinners to First Responders in different NYC ERs/ICUs. Raised $7K for medical supplies and food for Pakistan.
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New England (APPNE) Donated $2K to Worcester Islamic Center (WIC) and Natick Food Pantry. Co-hosted webinars with WIC on COVID 19 and on mental health.
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Northern California Chapter: Arranged 2 community awareness webinars.
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OHIO Providing PPE worth $7K to local hospitals ($3.5K raised + $3.5K APPNA match).
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OKLAHOMA Ordered PPE for $5K with APPNA match for OK providers. $7K with APPNA match donated to local pantry.
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PUN (PA/NJ/DE) Providing PPE for $3K with APPNA match to local providers. Food to local needy families ($5K)
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South Texas Donated $4 K to Pakistan Assn. G. Houston and $1 K to Islamic Society G. Houston for food rations, $10K for Pakistan food rations, PPE for Harris County health system $4 K with APPNA match
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St. Louis $4.5 K raised for PPE for local nursing home, APPNA free clinic. COVID19 helpline being established.
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Wisconsin N95, surgical masks, surgical gowns, face shields for $6.4 K with APPNA match for nursing homes, clinics and dental offices. Food provided to first responders at local hospitals. Kids volunteering at soup kitchens.
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APPNA COVID19 Response - April 25, 2020 Update by Dr. Naheed Usmani, President APPNA 2020
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| APPNA COVID19 Response - April 14, 2020 Update by Dr. Naheed Usmani, President APPNA 2020 |
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COVID19
Donation Drive
as of 4/28/2020
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APPNA 43rd Annual Convention 2020
Washington D.C.
July 1-5, 2020
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APPNA Northern
Pakistan
Trip
July 17-26, 2020
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APPNA Fall Meeting 2020
Boston, MA, USA
October 8-11, 2020
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APPNA Winter Meeting 2020
Pakistan
December 21-26, 2020
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