Welcome Letter from SAPHA President

Dear Colleagues,

I hope this message finds you in good health and high spirits as we embark on a new year filled with opportunities to continue advancing our shared vision of improving the health and wellbeing of South Asians and the communities in which they live. I am greatly honored to continue to serve as SAPHA’s President for a fourth year. It has been an incredible privilege to lead this organization and work alongside our dedicated board members, committee members, interns and the broader SAPHA network.

The year 2024 was extraordinary for SAPHA as we celebrated our 25th anniversary, marking a quarter-century of advocating for South Asian health. This milestone allowed us to reflect on our journey and recommit to advancing public health through advocacy, collaboration, and communication.

Reflecting on 2024, SAPHA achieved significant milestones that include:

•  Podcast Series & Advocacy Toolkits: The South Asian Public Health Association Spotlight Podcast Series highlighted the journeys of public health professionals and developed two comprehensive toolkits on cardiovascular disease and diabetes and interpersonal violence advocacy. 
• Engaging Events: From virtual town halls and panel discussions to our in-person "Chai and Chat" networking event at APHA, we brought together voices and ideas to foster dialogue and collaboration.

• National Presence: In 2024, several of our board members represented SAPHA at national conferences and summits including: presenting an abstract at CSAAH’s 11th Biennial AANHPI Conference; participating as a panelist at the APAICS Legislative Leadership Summit and the National Minority Quality Forum Leadership Summit, and leading a workshop at the API-GBV Summit. 

• Strengthening Advocacy: SAPHA made significant strides in national policy discussions, contributing to NCAPA’s 2024 Health Policy Platform and engaging with the White House on suicide prevention and mental health strategies; with FEMA at a roundtable on emergency preparedness for AANHPI communities; and a roundtable with the Secretary of Health to address AANHPI health priorities. 

• Advancing Research: SAPHA expanded research and data collection efforts by participating as a subawardee on two NIH-funded grants, secured a $20,000 grant from NCAPA to address health misinformation and advance racial equity, and contributed a guest blog for the Health Equity Collaborative. We also have been working diligently over the past year on two projects: The "South Asian Research Hub," a research repository and a "South Asian Health Disparities Report," both launching in 2025. 

These achievements highlight the collective efforts of our board, committees, interns, and supporters. Your collaboration continues to be the driving force behind SAPHA’s impact.

As we look ahead to 2025, we recognize that there may be shifts in policy and priorities that may impact the communities we serve. SAPHA remains committed to promoting health equity and advancing public health for South Asians and will continue to bring dedication, enthusiasm and innovation to the work that we do. 

Finally, I want to express my deepest gratitude to our outgoing board members—Hena Bajaj, Thoin Begum, Nishka Reddy, Aisha Bhimla, Tarun Mohan-Lal, and Sarah Bounse—for their remarkable contributions. To our continuing and new board members – Ayesha Azam, Malinee Neelamegam, Rubana Hossain, Amish Doshi, Mushira Khan, Anto Paul, Navami Naik, Anita Balan, Pavithra Suresh, Anita Makkenchery, Anmol Sharma, Sonia Shah and Minal Patel– welcome and thank you for your dedication to SAPHA’s mission. I am excited to work together to build on our accomplishments.

I encourage each of you to share your ideas on how SAPHA can continue to grow and better serve our community. For any inquiries or suggestions, please reach out to us at admin@sapha.org .

With gratitude,

Samira Khan, MPH

President, South Asian Public Health Association