Healthcare. A necessity that every human being depends on to survive, yet there are disparities regarding healthcare throughout the world.
Among these is our Champion City is also known as Springfield, Ohio. Healthcare disparities
are health differences due to social, economic, and environmental disadvantages. Springfield has disparities in health care due to many causes including poverty, inaccessibility of healthy food choices, and lack of access to care. Through this all is Dr. Surender Neravetla, a Cardiac Surgeon changing the way healthcare is provided in our communities.
Neravetla is a cardiac surgeon with over 40 years of experience in his passion for helping people survive. His inspiring journey started when he came to the US in the early 1970s when he finished general surgery training in New York and completed his Cardiac surgery training at the University of Cincinnati. Later on, he moved to Syria to further advance his passion. He has three children, all of which attended Springfield High School, one of which followed his path of being a cardiac surgeon just like himself. In 1988, Neravetla started two heart programs in Springfield for The Community Hospital and Mercy Hospital.
Roughly 15-20 years ago, Neravetla’s efforts to help his community continued when he realized he had a calling of caring for patients as well as preventing hospitalizations. Neravelta makes it a point to share his passion for the community, stating, “Springfield means a lot to me. Springfield is my adopted town.” This passion of his led him to gather nurses and doctors who also wanted to make a difference in the community to start a Health Care Fair in Springfield. He expresses the mistrust there is between the healthcare industry and minorities and because of that he switched his mentality from “if someone comes to me I’ll help them” to now reaching back out to the community to help with these issues.
"Springfield means a lot to me. Springfield is my adopted town."
The healthcare fair, scheduled for Saturday, April 30th, 2022 from 10 am-1 pm at Fulton County will not only be a free event for all to help those in need of healthcare but to also bring the community together. There will be screenings done for basic health problems such as blood sugar, cholesterol, prostate cancer, blood tests, mammograms, and tool kits such as blood pressure monitors, weighing scales, and oxygen oximeters. Alongside his vision of healthcare equality for his community, Neravetla has also been known to have written two books “Salt Kills” and “Salt, Black America's Silent Killer” about chronic health problems to educate those not familiar with healthcare terminologies.
A doctor, a fellow board member, and an inspiration, Neravetla is making an impact in our community through his passion for healthcare and the city of Springfield couldn't be more proud!
To learn more about Dr. Surrender Neravetla's story, listen to his full interview and register for the upcoming Healthcare Fair!