APPNA Still Has It
(Dr. Majid Toseef Aized 3rd from right)
As you scan the faces and expressions of the photo above, you will see
a reflection of your own past. The photo above is us some 25 or 30 years ago
only that our wait was easier and there were no visa delays. We had the
visas within days. We carried it with ourselves. The entire family turned up
at the airport. Many of the physicians had come as married couple within
days of their marriage. There was no time for honeymoon. It did not matter.
We were on to what we hoped was to be a better future. Sometimes there was
such a hurry that some came straight from rukhsati as was the case
of Drs. Waheed Akbar and Late Dr. Raana Akbar. The Akbars were to one day
each become Presidents of APPNA.
The assemblage above is from the APPNA Doctors House of Detroit
(ADHD). All of them above and many more who have come and gone on to greener
pastures have all have had one benefactor and he is seen in the photo above,
in a white labcoat third from right , Dr. Majid Toseef Aized. He alone has
kept the flames of hope alive in all of those pictured above
and those yet to come. How Dr. Majid Aized does it one wonders for he
is a 2nd year anesthesia resident. With all the pressures of work and study
he oversees the career paths, creature comforts, food and shelter of these
residents. Dr. Aized has done similar living arrangements in Philadelphia
before coming here.
When the first article came about APPNA Doctors House on the
listservers, there was a wave of enthusiasm in APPNA. This was something
they could believe in and fund. Dr. Aized was not asking for much. He asked
for $4200 per apartment unit per year for some 4 residents housing. The rest
of the expenses would be borne by the young Pakistani doctors. Dr. Ayesha
Najib (St.Louis MO) had already written a moving piece about this Doctors
House. The story of Dr. Nida Khan of Baqui Medical College Karachi had
already been published in these lists.
Now it was time for action. The first response came from KEMCAANA (
King Edward Medical College Alumni Association of North America). Within
days WAPPNA ( Women Physicians of APPNA) came forward to fund one unit for
female doctors in Detroit. One occupant is already in Detroit and Dr. Nida
Khan is expected in weeks.
( Photo above shows acutal slide presented to the EC )
Then came the Executive Council meeting of Las Vegas,Nevada March 17th
2012 at the Aria Hotel. It had been decided that this matter was to be under
the jurisdiction of CYP ( Committee for Young Physicians). Dr. Jalil Khan
dwelled on a number of topics which were mundane as compared to the topic he
brought before the executive council. Once he put this slide i.e. the Doctor
House of Detroit slide, the audience at once perked up. They had been
already heard all the wonderful things just one individual was doing ( Dr.
Majid ). But what was APPNA doing ?
An electrifying wave swept the audience. Then from the audience
suddenly Dr. Mohammad Suleman came forward and said he would fund one unit
for one year. And then it happened once again Dr. Nasar Qureshi sped to the
floor mike and said he would fund one unit of the ADHD for one year. That
was the magical moment in 2 minutes 2 units had been spoken for. There was
thunderous applause from the audience. Such is the heart of APPNA. Yes folks
it still beats and feels for those it desires to help. I witnessed it all as
I have done so many times before in the past 30 years.
M. Shahid Yousuf
Dr. Nasar Qureshi (NJ) ( DMC
1982) addressing APPNA Executive Council Las Vegas NV March 17th, 2012
Dr. Tasneim Suleman and Dr.
Mohammad Suleman (LA) (KEMC 1973) at the LV, NV Banquet March 17th, 2012
WAPPNA founding members in Spring EC meeting of APPNA (L-R) Drs. Humeraa Qamar
(FL), Naheed Chaudhry (Canada), Sarwat Iqbal ( PA ) and Shaheen Mian (MA).