Amidst Covid-19 Crisis APPNA Mobilizes to Extend Help
By Dr M. Shahid Yousuf
Westmont , Illinois: APPNA, its 15 affiliated alumni and 34 chapters, have embarked on the biggest disaster relief for mainland USA and Pakistan in its over 40 years of existence. To date APPNA has raised over $800,000 for COVID-19 related-human needs. These have included provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), face masks, N95 masks, and food both in USA and Pakistan. Besides, APPNA members are already providing front line work to COVID patients in the USA and have been recognized for it by US legislators and leaders in Pakistan.
Coordination with Other Organizations
A large operation such as this required not only physical presence of volunteers at locations both in USA and Pakistan but also organizations which could through their existing network deliver supplies, both food and medical equipment. At present APPNA has collaborated with Akhuwat USA (akhuwat.org), Helping Hands for Relief and Development USA (hhrd.org), Shahid Afridi Foundation USA, ICNA Relief, Doctors for Healthy Communities (DHC)(KY), HAND (Humanitarian Association for National Development Support) , Saylani Welfare Trust USA (saylaniwelfare.com), Alkhidmat (Gilgit &Baltistan), Dar El Salaam organization USA, Muslim Community of Palm Beach (FL) County, Rajon Rondo Foundation Louisville KY, IMCA (Indianapolis Muslim Community Association) food pantry Indianapolis, IN, McLean Islamic Center (VA), and The Islamic Society of Western Maryland ( ISWMD) of Hagerstown,
APPNA Reaches Remote Locations in Pakistan
With this extensive network of volunteers, APPNA’s donors have been able to provide relief to several remote areas in Pakistan. These have included cities of Layyah (Punjab), Jhimpir (Sind) the site of Pakistan’s first wind farm, Village 86F (Bahawalpur), food for 500 families in Burewala (Punjab), food for 400 families in Lahore and Karachi via the Ohio Chapter of APPNA, 300 ration bags in small remote villages Haji Habib Samo, Talib Mallah, Haji Lala Lallah, Talib Samo , Muhammad Shedi and other coastal villages of district Thatta, Gambat, Khairpur, Kashmore, Tando Allahyar, Mithi, Jhirak, ration distribution in North Waziristan, Miran Shah, Mardan KPK sponsored by KMCAANA (Khyber Medical College Alumni Association of North America), funds matched by APPNA), delivered by HHRD (Helping Hand), Georgia Chapter raised S10K for food packages for 500 families in Pakistan, 100 in every province including Gilgit, 100 PPE kits delivered to MS DHQ Hospital Skardu, 25 PPE kits each to MS DHQ Hospital Khaplu and DHQ Hospital Ghanche
Dr Tariq Rafi, VC Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi Pakistan received 1,000 3M 95 masks sponsored by JSMUAANA (Jinnah Sind Medical University Alumni Association of North America).
PPE delivered to Services Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS) sponsored by AIMCAANA (Allama Iqbal Medical College Association of North America), funds matched by APPNA. PPE was also delivered to Fatima Jinnah Medical University, sponsored by FJMUAANA (Fatima Jinnah Medical University Association of North America) funds matched by APPNA. $20K worth of PPE have been distributed to hospitals across Pakistan including Mayo Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Jinnah Hospital, Services Hospital, Lahore General Hospital, Punjab Institute of Cardiology, JPMC Karachi, Bolan Teaching Hospital, Gujranwala District Hospital, Skardu DHQ, Gilgit DHQ, Dera Ghazi Khan GHQ and Mazang Hospital. Nishtar Alumni sent S25,000 directly to Nishtar University to purchase PPEs locally. Quaid-i-Azam MC Alumni sent $7,000 for PPE for their alma mater.
Minorities in Pakistan
During every crisis APPNA donors have made provisions for the minorities of Pakistan. Food/ration packages were provided to 250 Hindu families near Mazar-i-Quaid in Karachi, sponsored by APPNA, distributed by HHRD (Helping Hands) and Karachi Hindu Foundation team. Food/ration packages were provided to 250 Hindu families in Thar, sponsored by APPNA and distributed by HHRD. APPNA/HHRD also distributed food/ration among 260 families of Christian Community in Jallu, Wagah-Lahore
Recipients in USA
Below is a partial listing of recipients of APPNA COVID-19 relief in the USA.
These have included $7,000 worth of PPE to the Cook County Sherriff’s Office, IL through the Pakistani Physicians Society of Illinois (PPSIL), food and dinner for refugees which included Rohingyas of Burma, Sudan, Iraq Somalia and other countries organized in Dallas TX, PPE to Vine Grove Police (KY), Radcliff Police Department (KY), food for families distributed through the Rahima Foundation in North California, KN95 masks to Louisville Metro Police Department Health and Safety Office Louisville Metro Police Department Health and Safety Office, lunch boxes to Department of Health at 400 E Gray Street in Louisville, KY, protective masks and KN-95 masks to Pakistani American families in Columbus and Central OH, 2500 N95 and KN 95 masks to Hospitals and Clinics of different cities of AL including but not limited to Birmingham, Anniston, Gadsden, Eutaw, Huntsville, M ontgomery, etc. via the APPNA Alabama Chapter, KN95 masks were provided to Appalachian Regional Healthcare McDowell Hospital, Pikeville Medical Center (Prestonsburg Campus) and Prestonsburg Primary Care Clinic in KY distributed through DHC, DHC and APPNA presented protective face masks to Jose Neil Donis, editor of Spanish Newspaper AL Dia EN AMERICA to distribute among Louisville’s Latino community that is significantly affected by COVID-19 pandemic, APPNA (Association of Physicians of Pakistani descent of North America) and Mercy Foundation provided 110 meals to frontline healthcare staff at Osceola Regional Medical Center, Kissimee, FL. The Islamic Society of Western Maryland ( ISWMD) of Hagerstown, Maryland in collaboration with APPNA donated 4500 isolation gowns to the local community hospital, The Meritus Medical Center, (DHC) and Association of Physicians of Pakistani descent of North America (APPNA) presented lunch to healthcare workers for nursing appreciation week to Signature Healthcare of South Louisville, Kentucky, Doctors for Healthy Communities (DHC) and Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA) delivered some of the "COVID-19 wish list supplies" to Sherry Stanley, Executive Director, The Backside Learning Center at Churchill Downs, Louisville, KY, SMIC (South Metro Islamic Center) in partnership with MAPP (MN Association of Pakistani Physicians) arranged two food distributions to 100 families serving over 10,000 pounds of food, in Rosemount, MN, Ramadan food boxes distributed to 30 families in Valley Stream, Jamaica and Jackson Heights, NY through ICNA, free Ramadan food boxes were distributed at Islamic Center of Northern Virginia Trust, Fairfax VA, sponsored by KEMCAANA, funds matched by APPNA, and distributed by ICNA Relief. APPNA Oklahoma Chapter donated $7000 to the Mercy Food Pantry which will serve more then 1,000 families among local communities. Mercy Foundation in partnership with APPNA provided 150 hot meals to health care staff at Adventhealth Hospital Kissimmee FL; also delivered 150 boxes of basic grocery and 150 T-shirts as well as 2 big cakes as a token of appreciation on nurses day; donation of KN95 masks to Nelson County Emergency Medical Services, Kentucky by APPNA) and Doctors for Healthy Communities (DHC); $64,00 worth of PPE was distributed by APPNA Wisconsin Chapter to 4 local hospitals of Wisconsin, a convent where 4 nuns had succumbed to COVID-19, non-hospital based independent practices, grocery stores, gas stations and post offices, 100 lunch boxes provided to hospital staff at Dallas Presbyterian Hospital via ICNA, 50 boxes of food/ration at Hillside Islamic Center Queens, NY; APPNA and IMCA (Indianapolis Muslim Community Association) Food Pantry Indianapolis, IN distributed food ration to 150 families; APPNA in collaboration with MAC(Muslim Americans for Compassion) presented 100 gift cards of Panera Bread and Chick-fil-A to Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) , APPNA and ICNA 20 food boxes delivered at Quba Masjid Tyler, TX.
150 food boxes delivered to Masjid Al Noor, Shreveport, LA, 30 food boxes delivered at Islamic Society of Central Louisiana in Alexandria, LA; lunch provided to the staff of Clark Memorial Hospital in Southern IN, sponsored by Muslim Americans for Compassion, funds matched by APPNA; Alberta Chapter of APPNA Canada raised over $13K for Pakistan relief efforts and Calgary Food Bank, 1,000 surgical masks to Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health System, 200 KN95 to Schneck Medical Center ER in Indiana, 500 surgical masks and 200 NK-95 masks to Elmhurst Hospital, NY, ICNA food pantries received from APPNA $2,500 for Seattle, $2,500 for Dallas, $2,500 for New Orleans, $7,000 for Houston and $5,000 for New York,
APPNA’s Contribution Acknowledged
Numerous individuals at various levels of government have acknowledged the contributions of APPNA physicians and the organization in the COVID-19 relief efforts. Early during this pandemic Pakistan Ambassador to USA Dr Asad Majeed Khan had reached out to APPNA President to enlist APPNA's help in addressing the COVID19 pandemic in Pakistan. The US State Department has requested updates from APPNA. On May 21 st 2020 the Governor of Punjab Chaudhry M. Sarwar recognized APPNA as “our hero in war against COVID-10.” Kentucky State Senator Johnny Ray Turner (District 29) acknowledged APPNA in their work in his State. In April 2020 Governor of Kentucky acknowledged Dr Babar Cheema, an APPNA and MAC member, for his efforts in the fight against the pandemic in a televised broadcast. Acting Secretary for Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services Mr Eric Friedlander in a separate video echoed Gov. Andy Beshear’s sentiments in thanking MAC and APPNA. In Florida, Dr Sajid Chaudhary and his group of infectious disease specialists - Drs. Shoaib Siddiqui, Nawab Mahmood and Nida Hameed - were commended by Congressman Darren Soto (D-FL-09) for their “brave effort to go above and beyond to treat COVID-19 patients in Oceola County during this national crisis” and “Thank you again for answering the call of your community and using your skills as doctors to save fellow members of our community.”
