USANewsOnline.Com, New York : Alliance of South Asian American Labor (ASAAL) National President Mr. Maf Misbah Uddin speaking at the inaugural ceremony. In his opening remarks, Mr. Uddin appealed to all non-licensed medical degree holders to join under the banner of ASAAL Healthcare Professionals Chapter. You have tried for the last 50 years, nothing happens! Give us two years, give your trust and give your time we will make it happen in the next two years or so. He then conducted oath of office and announced Heath Care Professionals Chapter Officially.ASAAL National Secretary in his welcome address urged Health Care Professionals to be more active in the ASAAL movement. What we have done in last five weeks for this group is miracle. Look at your Speaker’s today they will be your sponsor and supporter when a bill goes to the floor. Let’s work hard until we resolve this burning issue you all face!
ASAAL Healthcare Professional chapter President, Dr. Rafeeque Ahmad, MD, MPH talking to audience of inaugural ceremony Newly elected Chapter President said, “ASAAL came in our life as a blessings, without their vision this event, this chapter would not have been possible!
Healthcare Keynote speaker Dr. Conrad Fischer with ASAAL Healthcare Chapter President Dr. Rafeeque Ahmad. Dr. Fischer is Program Director and Vice Chairman of Internal Medicine at the Brookdale University Medical Center. He stated, “do anything and everything, get new training to survive, don’t sit idle stay active.”
NYS Senate majority leader Hon. Andrea Stewart-Cousins delivering her video message as a Legislative Keynote Speaker. In her speech she said, “we are thankful to ASAAL and their work in our State and entire country. We can only promise your Health Care Professionals issue is very important to us and we will work with you to find the best solution possible.
US Ssnator Hon. Kirsten Gillibrand in her video message expressed her strong support on increasing residency slot as a part of solution. And promised to work with ASAAL leadership in this regard.
Congresswoman Hon. Grace Meng in her video message emphasized the importance of ASAAL work. And promise to do all she can in house as the bills are presented on the floor.
Dr. Mujibur Majumdar, MD, trustee of ASAAL Healthcare chapter and President of ASAAL Brooklyn chapter talking about utilization of ECFMG- certified physicians to solve the utilization of Physician shortage in New York state and other states of the United States.
Dr. Muzibul Huq, MD, trustee of ASAAL Healthcare Professionals chapter and president of Long Island chapter talking to audience about his journey as an ECFMG-certified physician in the United States and how the talented pools of physicians can be utilized by New York State.
Dr. Shah Rahman, Executive Vice President of ASAAL Healthcare chapter talking about his journey and struggles in the United States and demanding with NYS lawmakers how this talented physician can be incorporated into the healthcare system.

Senator Hon. John Liu delivering his speech and promising ECFMG- certified physician to help them out with legislation in the New York state.
Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz AD 39, Queens talking to ECFMG-certified physicians and promising to help them out with legislations to practice medicine in the New York state
Assemblywoman Alicia L Hyndman AD 29, Queens talking to ECFMG- certified physicians and promising to help them out with legislations to practice medicine in the New York state
Senator Hon.Nathalia Fernandez, NYC District 34, Bronx talking to ECFMG-certified physicians and promising to help them out with legislations to practice medicine in the New York State
Assemblyman Hon. Ron Kim, AD 40, Queens talking to ECFMG-certified physicians and promising to help them out with legislations to practice medicine in the New York state
Assemblywoman Yudelka Tapia, AD 86, The Bronx talking to ECFMG- certified physicians and promising to help them out with legislations to practice medicine in the New York state
Dr. Sebastian Aurrurana, Director of Project IMG talking at the inaugural function
Mrs. Lisa Jordan, wife of one of the Co-owners of The New York School for Medical and Dental Assistants, Mr. Douglas Jordan, host of the event thanking to legislators and other audience of the event
Assemblyman Hon. Dr. Nader Sayegh presenting NYS Assembly recognition award to Dr. Rafeeque Ahmad, President of ASAAL Healthcare Professional Chapter
The inaugural ceremony was hosted by The New York School for Medical and Dental Assistants located at 3310 Queens Boulevard, Long Island City, NY 11101. Dr. Rafeeque Ahmad, MD, MPH elected as a president and Dr. Mahfuz Hossain as a general secretary of the ASAAL Healthcare Professional chapter.
Dr. Ahmad in his speech clarified to law makers and other audience about procedure of getting a license to practice medicine in the United States . He also talked about physicians shortage and its long term and short term solutions, and economic impact of physician shortage in the United Staes of America.
This ceremony was attended by many state senators and assemblymen and assemblywomen including video messages of Senator Hon, Kirsten Gillibrand, and congresswoman Hon. Grace Meng.
The main legislators who attended in person and send recorded video messages were NYS Senate majority leader Hon.Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Senator Hon.Toby Ann Stavisky; Senator Hon.John Liu; Senator Hon.Jessica Ramos; Senator Hon.Leroy Comrie; Senator Hon.Roxanne Persaud; Senator Hon.Kevin Parker; Senator Hon.Robert Jackson; Senator Hom.Luis Sepulveda; Senator Hon. Nathalia Fernandez; Assemblyman Hon.David Weprin; Assemblyman Hon.Ron Kim; Assemblywoman Hon. Alicia Hyndman; Assemblyman Hon.Khaleel Anderson; Assemblywoman Hon. Karines Reyes; Assemblyman Hon, Dr. Nader Sayegh; Assemblyman Hon.Yudelka Tapia; Assistant Majority Leader Hon. Charles Fall; Assemblywoman Hon.Catalina Cruz; Assemblywoman Hon. Phara Souffrant Forrest; and Assemblyman Hon.John Zaccaro.
The United States could see an estimated shortage of between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians by 2034, including shortfalls in both primary and specialty care. The shortage is affecting access, cost, and quality of care of American people and the main cause of this shortage is residency training positions.
In 2023 residency match the total 37,425 positions were offered for the 48,156 applicants registered at the National Resident Matching Program site. NYS is losing 78.2 billon in wages and benefit, and 7.3 billion in state and local tax revenue because of physician shortage in New Yor State. Midlevel providers who have less education, less training, and less skills than these ECFMG certified physicians are practicing without any residency training in all over the United Sates. International Medical Graduates certified by Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates and unmatched American Medical Graduates who have more education, more training, and more skills than physician assistants and nurse practitioners can play a vital role to solve this issue in New York state and other parts of the United States.
ASAAL Healthcare professional chapter will work to address the healthcare issues of our community such as physicians’ shortage and allied healthcare professional shortage including issues of healthcare providers. This chapter will work with law makers to utilize international medical graduates who has been certified by the Education Commission of Foreign Medical Graduates of the United States but have not completed their residency yet, in solving the issue of physician shortage in the NYS.
New York State grants a limited permit for a very few ECFMG certified physicians for the two years because of restricted number of entities, to practice under the supervision of a licensed physician in the nursing home, state hospitals, state psychiatric facilities and hospital outpatient departments.
ASAAL healthcare Professionals chapter in demanding to NYS legislators...
To take out the renewal attempts of NYS limited permit mention in New York Consolidated Laws, Chapter 16, Title 8, Article 31, Section 6525 until these ECFMG certified physicians get unrestricted license (https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EDN/652).
And to extend the utilization of the NYS limited permit in the following entities
A PRIVATE OFFICE OR CLINIC WHERE A SUPERVISING LICENSED PHYSICIAN PRACTICES INCLUDING URGENTCARE SETTINGS, and
A PATIENT CARE FACILITY OPERATED BY OR FOR ANY FEDERALLY RECONGNIZED AMERICAN INDIAN TRIBE, THE INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE, OR THE UNITED STATES VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION, OR PRISON OR A SCHOOL OR UNIVERSITY
ASAAL Healthcare Professionals Chapter Committee structure: The 51 membered committee took the oath of office with the National and founder president of ASAAL Mr. Maf Misbah Uddin. they are
President Dr.Rafeeque Ahmad
Executive Vice President Dr.Shah Rahman General secreatry Dr. Mahfuz Hossain Corresponding secretary Dr.Imran Khan Treasurer Dr.AKM Nazrul islam Political director Dr. Zahidur Rahman Women's Committee Chair Dr.Shimilee
Immigration Director Dr.Samira Khan Executive Director Dr. Muhammed Shahidul Islam
Vice Presidents
Dr. Joshua Nealy
Dr.Yuvraj Bhanot Dr.Usman Z Alvi
Dr. Mohammad Aminullah Sheikh Dr.Aminul Chowdhury
Dr.Philip Faud Huq
Dr. Atin Saha
Dr.Mohammed Huq Dr.Muhammad Saleem Shahid Dr.Javier Solozano Dr.Mohammad Nazmul Islam Dr.Enamul Khan
Dr. Mohammad Nazmul Islam Dr.Muhammad Mahmud
Dr.Shamsul Huda Dr.Zeenat Ara Begum
Trustees Dr. Muzibul Huq
Dr .Mujibur Rahman Majumdar Dr. Ashfaque Hossain
Dr. Abu Muhammad Huq Dr.Nand Panjwani
Dr.Elsa Mora
Dr.Sajjad Hossain
Women's Committee Dr.Hina Niyazi
Dr.Salma Ahmad Dr.Shahina Huq
Dr. Mahfuza A Khan Dr. Sultana Rahman Dr. Farzana Rahman Dr. Sabiha Akhter
Dr. Narges Joshaghani Dr. Fatematuz Zohra Dr. Rujina Munim Dr.Samia Jahan
Dr.Sultania Rajia Dr.Lubna Islam
Dr. Praveen Ghani Dr.Evette L Larry-Sadler Dr. Shraddha Lohani
Youth Committee Dr.Rashedul Hasan
Dr. Morshed Alam
Dr. Hasanul Islam Chowdhury
ASAAL Healthcare Professional Chapter secretary gave his vote of thanks to the audience and attendees of the inaugural ceremony
The Alliance of South Asian American Labor (ASAAL) has inaugurated its Healthcare Professionals Chapter. The Alliance of South Asian American Labor (ASAAL) is a Labor & community based political organization devoted to organize, educate, and mobilize to empower the South Asian Diaspora and its coalition partners towards mainstream American politics. In 15 years, ASAAL has grown into a political powerhouse with 20 active chapters in 10 different states including 9 chapters here in New York. It has a rich history of supporting candidates from all ethnic backgrounds for public office who care about the issues ASAAL identifies and prioritizes.
The inaugural ceremony started at 4:00 pm and ended at 10:00 pm.
Dinner and refreshments were served