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UK
Asian Voice - Saturday 26th May 2012
one to one Keith Vaz MP with
Farhad Riahi M.D., Head of Healthcare Systems, Novartis Farhad Riahi, M.D., was born in Iran, and lived there and in France before moving to Canada for university. He completed his medical training in Canada and the US. As part of his medical practice in Canada, he worked with First Nations populations in northern Quebec, where the prevalence of diabetes and related complications is among the highest in the world. He then worked as a management consultant with McKinsey & Co., where he focused on helping healthcare systems in developed countries improve outcomes in chronic diseases, and on global public health challenges in Africa. He joined Novartis in September 2011 to head the new Healthcare Systems Group, which was established to help Novartis become a trusted partner to healthcare systems for improving patient outcomes and for increasing healthcare system productivity. 1) Please tell us about the work you are currently doing for diabetes? We have just completed an international of review of different healthcare systems’ performance in diabetes: who achieves the best outcomes for patients, and who delivers good care in a cost-effective way? How do they do it? What can we and others learn from this? We are presenting the results with colleagues in healthcare systems across the world who are
5) Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date? Quite a few people, but if I had to name just one it would be my father, who showed me what taking good care of patients looks like. To this day, he remains surprised that my work has moved away from clinical medicine, which just goes to show how you can’t predict the consequences of your influence!
9) If you were Prime Minister, what one thing would you change? Make the healthcare system give citizens better information on the quality and cost of care available to them. That would help more people get involved in the design and delivery of their care.
7) And the worst? Distance: to take this role, which is based in Switzerland, my partner and I have to live apart for a year or so – she’s in Singapore now, which is a long way away. Luckily, my role is global and does take me to Asia from time to time. whom I’ve worked. 3) Please tell us about your current position? Our goal at Novartis is to become a trusted partner to healthcare systems for improving patient outcomes and for increasing healthcare system productivity. I lead the Healthcare Systems Group for Novartis, where we are building the knowledge base and skill set for
helping the organization reach this goal. 4) What has been the biggest obstacle in your career? “This is the right thing to do, but...”, “This has been tried before and it failed...”, “It’s not the right time to try this...” The number of times I’ve heard these things! ...and then found some people to work with and prove them
Bhumi pujan ceremony held at Anoopam Mission UK The ‘bhumi pujan’ – ground breaking ceremony of Anoopam Mission UK’s new temple and community centre took place in the divine presence of Guruvarya Param Pujya Sahebji, on the morning of 17th May. This was the auspicious day of Brahmaswaroop Yogiji Maharaj’s 121st birthday. Yajmaan, devotees and dignitaries were all present in large numbers, and offered their prayers in the Mahapuja conducted by Pujya Himat Swamiji. Shri Surendrabhai Patel, Shri Nandaji (Bharitya Vidya Bhavan), Shri C.B. Patel (Gujarat Samachar), Shri V.C.Patel, Shri Yogendrabhai Patel, Shri Ashwin Popat, Shri Satishbhai Chatwani were all present, together with Santo, Param Pujya Shantibhai, Harshadbhai and Himat Swamiji who inspired joy and enthusiasm in all. On this occasion, Kiren Patel, was also present and received Guruvarya Sahebji’s blessings, as he will be doing a sponsored
a few years ago).
6) What is the best thing about your current role? People: I get to work with people both in Novartis and outside who really want to deliver great healthcare.
interested in doing better for patients. 2) What are your proudest achievements? Situations where I’ve been able to use my medical and business experience together to bring together patients, clinicians, and managers in different countries and help them work together to improve how care is delivered. I’m proud of my contribution and of what we’ve achieved together, but also humbled by the thoughtfulness, commitment, and energy of the people with
wrong.
8) What are your long term goals? Keep contributing to making healthcare work better for patients and citizens, and keep learning what it takes to do this and where I can best help. The specific opportunities for doing so are hard to predict and plan for (...I never thought I’d have the role that I now have; it didn’t even exist
10) If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figures would you like to spend your time with and why? People I could spend an eternity listening to and learning from. I have no idea how well the following would get along with each other, but if I’m allowed to be selfish, I’d have: l Hafez, arguably our greatest Persian poet. l Joseph Campbell, who showed how much belief systems in different cultures have in common, and has fantastic stories from traditions all over the world. l Richard Dawkins, who makes me wish I could talk about healthcare as clearly as he explains science, l And Douglas Adams, who would doubtless come up with some insightful and funny ways of pulling it all together.
Home office approved immigration adviser jailed
Vijay Sorthia (left) and his wife Bhawana
Pujya Sahebji with CB Patel, Satishbhai Chatwani, Shantibhai Patel, Yogendrabhai Patel, Pujya Himat Swamiji, Kiran Patel with others
Marathon run, and will donate the entire proceeds towards Anoopam Mission’s new community centre. Shri Surendrabhai, Shri C.B. Patel and Param Pujya
Shantibhai also spoke on this occasion, followed by Guruvarya Sahebji’s blessings : “This temple will become an international hub. Here, Shri Akshar Purushottam
Maharaj will take his seat. Every devotee’s resolutions will be fulfilled. Whoever performs seva here will please Maharaj, and will attain the soul’s true joy.”
A Home Office-approved adviser and his wife who made more than 1million helping scores of immigrants illegally remain in Britain as part of a visa scam were jailed last week. When police raided the family home of Vijay and Bhawna Sorthia, they found bundles of cash totalling 330,000 hidden in a cupboard as well as documents relating to
dozens of individuals they had unlawfully assisted. Mr Sorthia, 35, who ran immigration advisory service Migration Gurus from a small office in North West London, was imprisoned for 10 years for his part in the lucrative plot. A confiscation hearing to recover any money the couple made from the scam will take place later this year.
Young bride kidnapped for breaking arranged marriage A young bride was drugged, placed into a car and kidnapped by her family because she broke off an arranged marriage to her first cousin and had secretly married another man, a jury was told last week.
Naila Afsar, 23, was slapped in the face by an elder brother who threatened to kill her unless she obeyed the family’s demands to fall into line and marry the man her parents had chosen for her, the court heard.
She was given a milky, hot drink which allegedly contained a prescription-only sedative to disable her so she can be taken back to the family home in Bradford, and kept apart from her new husband.
The jury at Preston Crown Court was told that the alleged plot fell apart when police intercepted the vehicle at a petrol station on the outskirts of Accrington, Lancashire. The trial continues.