On tap to keynote the 26th annual Convention of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin�arguably the largest and most influential ethnic professional organization in the United States�in Las Vegas [Images] next week, is Indian Health Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, who AAPI leaders say has confirmed he will attend despite rumors to the contrary because of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's [Images] austerity drive discouraging his ministers from foreign travel.

Ramadoss, at the convention is expected to sign the Memorandum of Understanding between the government of India and AAPI to institutionalise the emergency medical and trauma services in India that has been initiated as part of a public-private sector partnership by AAPI.

AAPI president Dr Hemant Patel told rediff.com that "he (Ramadoss) is coming. Actually it is confirmed and I talked to his director, Dr Sharad Chauhan and he said as far as he knows, it still stands and he (Ramadoss) is coming."
So, we are really hopeful that he will be attending and I haven't heard anything about a cancellation," he reiterated, and added, "when I went to India about three weeks ago he confirmed his participation and so it is still on."

Patel said, "Actually the Health Minister and the government of India really values AAPI after our First Indo-US HealthCare summit (held in New Delhi in December 2007) because it left a big mark."
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However, Patel acknowledged that it was unlikely that Tourism Minister Ambika Soni who had also agreed to attend the convention may not make it because of the government's austerity drive. "She has confirmed initially but because of the directive of the Prime Minister, she is most likely not coming," he said. "But we are going to use all of our efforts to get them all to come because as I said, the Prime Minister himself is very much aware of AAPI and our contributions to health care and health care education both in the US and India and each time he has visited the US and each time an AAPI delegation has gone to New Delhi, he has always found time for us."

Besides, Ramadoss and senior officials from his Ministry like Chauhan, also slated to attend and address the gathering are US lawmakers like Congressman Frank Pallone, the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen, the president of the Indian Medical Association Dr Narender Saini and several of the leadership of the IMA, senior representatives of the American Medical Association, Dr Renu Khator, chancellor of the University of Houston System and president of the University of Houston, among others.

Patel expressing that he was hopeful about the formal signing of the MOU between the government of India and AAPI on EMS and Trauma Services, said, "We already have a draft MOU but it has had to go through various committees for approval but 90 percent o the work is done and most likely it is ready and we are looking forward to it being signed at the convention."

"As you know, we've already signed an MOU on rural health initiative in India between AAPI and the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs more than 18 months ago focusing on rural health issues like diabetes, hypertension, deafness of the new born, mental health, and infectious diseases."

Patel said, "The AAPI team stands ready to go into action anytime and it is now up to the states �Bihar and Andhra Pradesh�to give us the green light to begin. I can assure you if they are ready tomorrow, we are ready to start tomorrow. AAPI has done its part and we are waiting for the states' approval to immediately put our initiative into action."