Achievers

Every month Express Healthcare highlights uncommon achievements of doctors and other professionals and contributors to the healthcare industry. To nominate your employees/colleagues for Achievers, mail healthcare@expressindia.com and we will get in touch with you!

The Community Doctor

Besides juggling time between her demanding job as the Associate Vice President-Medical Services at TTK Healthcare Services and her family, Bangalore-based Dr Nilima Kadambi (44) takes keen interest in looking after the medical needs of the geriatric population of retired persons in her locality—Bangalore's Indira Nagar. A peadiatric surgeon, Dr Kadambi along with her ophthalmic surgeon husband has started a not-for-profit home healthcare service for the elderly—Indiranagar Home-Health Service (IHS).

Against a one-time registration fee of Rs 1,000 per head, the service provides a doctor on call, home visit by a panel doctor for about Rs 150 to 250 for a general specialist visit, besides laboratory, pharmacy, ambulance and other medical aids at the doorstep of its members through tie-ups with local service providers. The service also keeps the records of the patients' medical profile, organises meetings for both medical and non-medical needs of members and even contacts the kith and kin of members, in case of any emergency.

"A major chunk of the residents of Indira Nagar are retired Government service personnel, whose children are based abroad. With many having only a dog and a maid for company, they often neglect their health and are agonised when it comes to seeking medical help. To be there for these people is the goal of IHS," states Dr Nilima.

Walking down the memory lane, she says, "Around 14 years back, when we came back to India and had my husband's two grandmothers, in their 80s, were living with us, their recurrent medical problems kept us on our toes. At that time, many old people in our locality used to approach us for medical advice, an emergency home visit and second opinions whenever they faced a health problem. We soon realised that there is a need for home-based medical service for the geriatric people." Today, with the help of three other doctors and two trained assistants, IHS caters to about 100 members. And while there is a waiting list, Dr Kadambi is reluctant to extend the service beyond her area or taking in more members as she does not want to take up more than what she can handle. However, it is heartening to see old couples re-locating to Indiranagar just to become a part of the HIS family!

Wings of Fire

A young doctor is the last image that flashes across our minds when we think of a politician. But all such theories are debunked when we meet Dr Krunal Desai (24), a postgraduate student in Occupational Therapy with speciality in Orthopaedics from KEM Hospital, Mumbai. Dr Krunal is contesting for the upcoming BMC elections in Mumbai from his residence ward Mulund. His discontentment with the current state of affairs is quite evident when he says, "Present condition of politics in society is not worth commenting, but politics per se is a good game and it is just that politicians today have made it more dirtier than it actually is."

Paritrana, the party which he is representing has been formed by like-minded youngsters from institutes like IIT's who preferred to grind themselves in the world of politics than opt for lucrative careers and huge pay packets.

Krunal hopes to benefit from his medicinal background and become a part in the decision-making policies of the health. His zeal and sincerity to his mission is evident when he says, "Being brought up in a middle-class background, I can actually feel the problems that the society faces. I just need to change the manner in which BMC functions and the way bureaucrats think and hopefully bring credibility in politics."

We may call it the 'Rang De' or the 'Yuva' effect, but Krunal begs to differ, "Paritrana was not started after watching 'Rang De Basanti'! Our mission goes beyond those three hours of cinematic experience. Most people go back to their normal lives but we are here to actually make a difference."

Well, we do not know the outcome of the elections, but this youngster is an achiever in his own right and hopefully this real-life experience leaves an impact higher than just those few hours on reels. Hopefully, real inspires reel and not vice-versa!

The Heritage Man

If the Government has its way, the essence of Goa might soon get lost. The 'Regional Plan 2011', a draft prepared by the Government for town planning, in form of mega five star projects like townships, condominiums, golf courses and the likes, runs the risk of depleting Goa's rich natural resources.

But thanks to physician-activist Dr Oscar Rebello (39), Goa may be saved from the grinding teeth of urbanisation. The physician is the convenor of 'Save Goa' mission that protests these development plans. "All these megalomaniac projects envisaged in the Regional Plan will destroy its beautiful landscape, trigger immigrants, and the already over-burdened infrastructure might collapse. Goa, today is at the crossroads of its existence, its beauty is being mercilessly sold off, all for petty gains, in the guise of the monstrous, evasive and sinister Regional Plan," he fumes.

What started as an attachment to the hometown, has now evolved into a mission. "Somebody has to come up and take a stand, whatever it takes. It's like the Nike ad-Just Do It! And this is exactly what I'm doing," says the feisty doctor, who is mobilising support by holding rallies, organising signature campaigns and supporting the PILs filed against the Regional Plan by various NGOs.

Elated at the feedback, he says, "We are amazed by response of thousands of people attending the gatherings, without even spending a penny! We are consciously avoiding politicians." His demanding profession does not deter him from his cause. "In fact, I meet up new patients everyday and spread my mission."

For this man on a mission, there's one area of concern though—no time for celebrations! "I don't compromise on my patients, so eventually my family time is less now. I did not even have the time to celebrate Christmas and New Year. But these issues are very trivial as compared to our goals." Well to this, all we can add is—No Pain, No Gain!