Chicago, Jul 2 (IANS): A representative body of over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin in the US is working on a five-year strategic plan to create and lobby for meaningful legislative agenda at the federal level.

Members of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) "should be at the table during implementation stage of the health care reform", says the association's new president Jayesh Shah.

"I want AAPI members to remember: If you are not at the table, then you are most probably on the menu," he said as the new AAPI team assumed charge during its annual convention here last week.

"We need to structure one of the best administered organizations that will be responsive to its members, supportive of the leadership and a true advocate for our mission," Shah said on his vision and goals for the next one year.

He also plans to develop a policy and procedure manual for day to day functioning of AAPI. Shah has already begun a nationwide campaign with the objective of increasing awareness of childhood obesity issue globally.

A nine-city educational, scientific, and musical tour by noted Indian music composer and singer Shankar Mahadevan along with the childhood obesity awareness programmes is "yet another way of reaching our mission around the nation", he said.

The new executive committee consists of Ravi Jahagirdar as president-elect, Seema Jain, vice president; Kavita Gupta, secretary; Vikas Khurana, treasurer; Surendra Purohit, interim chair, board of trustees; Ashwin Mehta, young physician section (YPS) president; and Kinjal Shah, medical student, resident and fellows section (MSRF) president.

Shah graduated from Baroda Medical College, Gujarat, and after completing his residency at St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital centre in New York, relocated to Texas in 1996.