Fellow Africans and friends in the diaspora,
As this tumultuous year has come to an end, it gives me a great honor to address the members of African Diaspora Healthcare Initiative (AfDHI). In this year of mask wearing, social distancing, and the inability to spend time with families and friends, we are still grateful and thankful for small mercies. I urge everyone to reflect on the small mercies of life, the things we are grateful for. I extend sincere gratitude to our members and all health staff on the frontline for their resilience and courage to save lives and mitigate this calamitous pandemic. Also, I want to extend my condolences to the families and friends of those fatally impacted by COVID-19.
As President of AfDHI, I would like to reflect on the positives of this year. First, our organization was able
to break ground in the middle of the pandemic and advanced her visions and missions. Secondly, I am grateful to you all for responding to our invitations and identifying with AfDHI mission objectives. As we all know, a pandemic of this nature requires an effective health system to manage. The devastating impact of a pandemic like this in a malfunctioning health system can only be imagined. Therefore, this is an opportune time for the African diaspora to reflect on African health systems and impacts on health delivery in response to a pandemic and other form of disease threats. Our message resonated with many. The excitement was high because we have all desired the opportunity to collaborate and be relevant to our continent and the world. We have grown with leaps and bounds with the support of our members who have committed time, shared professional contributions, talents, and resources. You
have given us the hope to forge ahead!
As the year draws to an end, I consider it a responsibility to send you a message of goodwill as well as give you an update on our accomplishments and visions for the next year. The African Diaspora Healthcare Initiative (AfDHI) which came to the public domain in April, 2020, has been formally incorporated in the State of California and currently seeking the 501 C3 status from IRS. Online membership is over three hundred with more members indicating interest regularly. We held three general meetings with each attracting a reasonable number of distinguished healthcare professionals. Our website is set up and active with provisions for member interactions, member recruitment, and donations. AfDHI currently has six committees to which members are volunteering their services: Membership, Fundraising/finance, Strategic, Health Partnerships, Incorporation, and Vision & Mission.
We are seeking for more members to join our team!
As we move into 2021, we are looking forward to develop our plan for our initial partnership in Africa to bring our vision to fruition. As a result, members are encouraged to take a moment to complete the survey sent out by our Strategic Planning Committee. We also intend to begin launching professional webinars on African health issues and health system strengthening. I hope that you as a member would take personal interest in our mission objectives and contribute passionately towards making an impact.
AfDHI has so much to be thankful for, all those who joined our meeting, those who recommended our organization to someone, those who invited others, those who share our passion for the powering of sustainable health delivery in Africa. There is a lot of work to be done to make healthcare accessible to the people in Africa. The African health professionals, managers, and investors in the health sectors in the diaspora have the capacity to transform health delivery in Africa and bring back the hopes shattered by slavery, colonization, and neo-colonization. I am confident that every one of us is willing and ready to unite, collaborate, and impact Africa positively.
As we enter the New Year, I urge every one of us to bring on renewed zeal and energy to bolster our vision and commitment to a better health system in Africa. You are the source, the strength, and the spirit of this organization.
On behalf of the board, management of AfDHI and my family, I wish everyone a safe and joyous holiday season, and a bountiful new year, with health, prosperity, peace and happiness.
Raymond Chimezie
Raymond Chimezie, PhD, CHES, FRSPH
U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Sub-Saharan African &
President, African Diaspora Healthcare Initiative
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Great content! Keep up the good work!