South Asian Public Health Association
4243 TAMU, Rm # 158V Read Building Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843
Email: info@sapha.net
Web: http://www.sapha.net
SAPHA Brochure: Open

Contacts:

Biswanath Gouda, MD, MPH
SAPHA Co-Chair
San Diego , CA
858-380-6151
bisu_g@yahoo.com

The South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA) is pleased to announce its third Board of Directors, who will serve from April 2006 to April 2008:

Ranjita Misra , PhD, CHES, FMALRC
SAPHA Co-Chair
College Station , TX

Biswanath Gouda, MD, MPH
SAPHA Co-Chair San Diego , CA

Linda Groetzinger, PhD, MA
SAPHA Secretary Chicago , IL

Anuradha Sharma , MA , MPH, CHES
SAPHA Treasurer Washington , DC

Durriya Meer, PsyD
Ann Arbor, MI

Naimish Pandya , MD
Philadelphia , PA

Girish Shah , DDS, MPH
Hauppauge , New York

Sathi Dasgupta, PhD
Wilmington , DL

Arnab Mukherjea, MPH
berkely, CA

Shilpa Patel, MPH
Durham, NC

The new SAPHA Board of Directors looks forward to building on the substantial progress already made since the inception of the organization.  The goals of the new Board of Directors include improvement in organizational structure, garner funds for increased national activity, expand the capacity of local groups, and collaborate with other organizations in hopes of ultimately improving the health and well-being of all South Asian Americans.

Founded in 1999, the SAPHA is a non-profit organization serving as a national forum for mentorship, dialogue and resource-sharing among public health professionals working with South Asian communities. The group raises awareness of health risks and encourages healthy behavior among South Asians, along with supporting research and academic communities interested in South Asian health issues. South Asians are traditionally defined as immigrants and second-plus generation individuals with origins in India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Caribbean, as well as its diaspora.

In 2002, SAPHA published A Brown Paper: The Health of South Asians in the United States, the first national initiative to evaluate and summarize existing knowledge about several key health indicators for South Asian Americans and consists of comprehensive research and analyses of 13 health issues relevant to the South Asian community, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, elderly health among others. The Brown Paper also includes recommendations for policy-makers, health care providers, and community outreach workers by experts in their respective fields, and serves as a resource guide of organizations that provide health-related services to South Asian Americans. In 2005, SAPHA collaborated with University of Southern California, University of Medicine & Dentistry in New Jersey, and New York University separately for three national conferences raising health awareness of South Asian Americans. In addition, SAPHA continues to be involved with massive outreach to provide health education and resources to South Asian American communities, participating in health fairs and cultural events.

Public health involves addressing health promotion and disease prevention at the population level, with attention to the effects of such factors as healthy living, diet, mental health, as well as cultural behaviors and socioeconomic status.  At the forefront of SAPHA’s goals is health awareness and education, with aims to engage the South Asian community in developing and increasing understanding of their unique health issues.

 
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