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APMA AGM/ELECTIONS, Sunday 21st August 2022

Dr Erum Bilal (President APMA)

 Dr Erum Bilal elected as New President of Australia Pakistan Medical Association

Venue: Manjit Restaurant, King St Wharf, Sydney.
Last AGM and elections occurred in April 2019.
This AGM has been delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic
.

Following events and achievements (2019-2022)

1. APMA affiliation with Indus hospital network 2019-20.

2. Collaborated with Indus Health network in Fundraising in November 2019.

3. Collected donations from members amounting to 15K in total which donated to multiple charities mainly EDHI Inc., helping overseas students who were struggling during COVID-19 pandemic. (2020)

4. Multiple online educating sessions covering pandemic related topics and presentations from ICU specialists, ER physicians and Cardiologist.

5. Multiple APMA executive committee meetings both online and face to face during last few years.

6. Supported multiple events and charities including donating funds to UNHCR to help people in Afghanistan who were affected by earthquake, wheel chair alliance to help children in Pakistan with disability. Also assisting Pakistan Youth Council in their social events.

7. Ongoing collaboration with Multiple medical Associations in regards to achieving positive outcomes for Doctors from overseas.

8. Meeting arranged with AMA along with other medical associations to discuss difficulties face by Overseas doctors arriving in Australia.

9. Compiled a list of Doctors who treated students free of charge who did not have health insurance or Medicare card.

10. Also did informative videos to assure general community regarding the safety of the COVID vaccination.

11. In previous years 2018-2020: multiple social events, signed a MOU with CLAN including raising funds for NICH. GALA dinner meeting with medical and community leaders. APMA cruise events with INDUS health network introduction to general community in Sydney. Joined with APPNA and visited APPNA annual general meeting in Karachi with executive members and APMA members.

Dr Imran Kassam

Speech of outgoing APMA  President  Dr Imran Kassam

Bismillah Hir Rahman Nir Rahim,
I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land we meet today, the Gadigal people of Eoranation and pay my respect to the elders past, present and emerging.

I would like to thank everyone for coming today at this APMA AGM and Elections 2022. Many thanks to Dr Amanullah Khan, Dr Mohammad Bilal, Dr Shaukat Javed, Mr. Ejaz Khan, Mr. Zafar Hussain From Sada-e-Watan, Dr Mushtaq Malik and Dr Riaz Malik for coming today.

I have been with this association as part of the executive committee with Dr Sayed Khan when he restarted the Australia Pakistan Medical Association more than 10 years ago. I have also had the privilege of being the President for the last 2 terms and seeing it through the most difficult few years of the COVID pandemic.
During all these years we had many successful events and were able to bring the Pakistani doctors community in Sydney and NSW together for social, educational and fundraising events. In all of this I have learned that successful events can only be achieved with Team work and especially with the amazing team members participation. As a matter of fact one of our most successful GALA dinner was held right at this restaurant few years ago.

One of the biggest challenges that I have faced is working towards incorporating overseas doctors into the Australian health force. As you may know when doctors come from overseas and even if they are Australian residents they are not given registration to work by AHPRA. Over the years along with Bangladeshi, Indian and Arab associations we had meetings with health ministers, and many other dignitaries from all those associations , and recently we had a symposium in association with AMA with the federal health minister to highlight this very issue. There is still lot more to be done in this area.

We still have a long way to go but I am very confident that Dr Erum Bilal, who is an exceptionally talented person - who is not only a very successful doctor, but also has been APMA’s vice President, and has been playing a vital role in APMA’s past success and will continue to lead the way in the future.

I would like to thank all of my executive committee members past and current Adnan, Athar and Masood who had always been on my side and supported me in achieving what’s best for APMA. I would specially like to thank Dr Amanullah Khan and Dr Mohammad Bilal for always being there to provide their wisdom in regards to any challenges we may face. I would like to thank my wife Samreen for always being happy to host any meetings and providing her support to me throughout. Finally I would like to thank Sayed and Ghazala for always being there as the backbone to this association. And the volunteers who mostly are children. I also think if APMA has to succeed beyond its scope then we definitely need young Pakistani doctors many of whom are here to join APMA and take it further.
Finally Of course

I congratulate Erum Bilal and all the members of the executive committee and I assure you that I will always be available to provide any assistance moving forward.

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