Toronto cardiologist Dr Vivian Rambihar and his daughter Dr Vanessa Rambihar, a new Toronto Family Doctor, met with new UK Cabinet Minister Priti Patel to discuss Indian diaspora heath.

Drs Vivian and Vanessa Rambihar were in the UK to present a paper at the Association for the Study of Medical Education annual conference, proposing a complexity thinking for educating health professionals for the 21st century, based on a 25 year experience using complexity science in health promotion and medical education, reported at the conference. They advocate and have used a complexity approach in addressing complex health issues, including the increasing and premature heart disease and diabetes across the Indian diaspora.

While in the UK, they took the opportunity to meet with MP Priti Patel in her UK Parliament office, in her role as the UK government Indian Diaspora Champion, the day before a cabinet shuffle naming her to the Cabinet as Exchequer Secretary, a senior role responsible for Finance. Priti Patel studied economics at Keele University and has a background in business, before becoming the first Conservative Asian MP in 2010, and was part of a major change that saw more women appointed to Ministerial posts.

Drs Rambihar and MP Patel discussed the health crises across the Indian diaspora, which includes UK and Canada, and discussed ways in which she can help in her role as Diaspora Champion to address this. She agreed with the need for action and agreed to continue discussion and to offer her assistance in this effort. Dr Vivian Rambihar, as a cardiologist, mentioned the younger age of many people of Indian origin with heart disease, diabetes, heart attacks and death, and they agreed that there was need for new local and global strategies at multiple levels to change this.

Dr Rambihar presented MP Patel with a copy of the Global Organization for People of Indian Origin 25th Anniversary Jubilee Magazine, from the recently highly successful celebration of this event in Trinidad in May 2014, where Dr Rambihar received an award for contribution to health promotion across the diaspora. Dr Vivian Rambihar has been the Health CoChair for GOPIO, advocating for health for over 25 years, and also presented MP Patel with a copy of his book on the subject, and a paper written with Dr Vanessa Rambihar on “Time for Health across the Diaspora,” available online.