Rajni Kanabar Explained

Rajni Kanabar
Birth Date:9 November 1940
Birth Place:Mwanza, Tanganyika Territory
Death Date:25 June 2019
Death Place:Dallas, Texas, US
Education:M.B.B.S. (India), D.C.H. (Ireland)
Occupation:Founder of Regency Medical Centre, Dar es Salaam & Founder of Tanzania Heart Babies Project
Known For:Community Service, Philanthropy
Spouse:Sarla Kanabar
Awards:Pravasi Bharatiya Samman-2010, PBS Medal by High Commission of India in Tanzania - 2013, Order of the United Republic of Tanzania - 2014

Rajni Kanabar (9 November 1940 – 25 June 2019) was an M.B.B.S. doctor and philanthropist belonging to the third generation of an Indian-origin family in Tanzania.[1] [2] He was the founder-chairman of Regency Medical Centre in Dar es Salaam, and the initiator-convenor of the Tanzania Heart Babies Project, which he established in the year 1979.[3] Born in Mwanza, he was presented with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award as a person of Indian origin, from the Government of India in 2010, for facilitating the surgeries of children in Tanzania suffering from congenital heart diseases.[4] [5] [6] [7] He also received the PBS Award Label from the High Commission of India in Tanzania in 2013,[8] and the Order of the United Republic of Tanzania Medal in 2014.

Career

Dr. Rajni Kanabar completed his M.B.B.S. education from B.J. Medical College in Ahmedabad. As a practicing physician in Tanzania, he observed a lack of infrastructure and medical facilities for children suffering from congenital heart diseases. In order to aid the timely treatment for these children, he founded the Tanzania Heart Babies Project in 1979 with the support of the Tanzanian Government’s Ministry of Health and the Lions Club of Dar es Salaam.[9] Through this project, he facilitated surgeries of children from Tanzania, suffering from repairable congenital or rheumatic heart defect, at highly subsidized rates, both, in India and Tanzania.[10] [11] In 1999, he established the Regency Medical Centre, a private hospital, in Dar es Salaam. During his role as the hospital's chairman, Dr. Rajni Kanabar collaborated with a number of state-of-the-art hospitals in India such as Narayana Hrudayalaya Heart Institute, Bangalore,[12] Sathya Sai Heart Institute, Andhra Pradesh,[13] Fortis Escort Heart Institute, New Delhi[14] and Sri Sathya Sai Hospital, Rajkot[15] to conduct these heart surgeries.[16] Until 2016, 3600 children suffering from congenital heart disease have successfully been treated under the Tanzania Heart Babies Project at various Indian hospitals.

His was also instrumental in conducting of free diabetes screening camps,[17] orthopaedic hip and knee replacement camps[18] [19] and free eye screening camp[20] at the Regency Medical Centre, throughout his tenure. He also played a key role in introducing an advanced laparoscopic surgery program to the country, thus, making Regency Medical Centre the first hospital in Tanzania that deployed laparoscopy procedure for surgeries.[21] Under his leadership, Regency Medical Centre has also provided 59,000 haemodialysis sessions at subsidized rates.

Awards and recognition

Dr. Rajni Kanabar was honored with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samaan Award as a person of Indian origin, by the former President of India, Pratibha Patil at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on 9 January 2010. He was conferred with this award for the philanthropic work done under the Tanzania Heart Babies Project and for being instrumental in highlighting India as a center of cutting-edge medical treatment in the world.[22] In 2013, he received the PBS medal by the High Commission of India in Dar es Salaam. On 25 April 2014, he was presented with the 'Order of the United Republic Medal' by the former President of Tanzania, Dr. Jakaya Kikwete.

References

  1. News: Prominent Dar doctor dies in USA. 28 February 1900. IPP Media.
  2. News: Leading Medic Kanabar Dies. 28 June 2019. Daily News.
  3. News: This Gujarati paediatrician's heart beats for Tanzanian kids. 25 January 2016. The Times of India.
  4. News: Moopen among diaspora award winners. 10 January 2010. Gulf News.
  5. Web site: Selection Process of Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award. 10 August 2011.
  6. News: Profiles of recipients of the 2010 Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award. https://web.archive.org/web/20190725135751/https://www.sify.com/news/profiles-of-recipients-of-the-2010-pravasi-bharatiya-samman-award-news-nri-kbjt4bdecddsi.html. dead. 25 July 2019. 9 January 2010. Sify News.
  7. Web site: BIODATA OF DR. RAJNI KANABAR. Jamnagarvasi.
  8. Web site: National Day Reception 2013 - Photo Gallery. High Commission of India.
  9. Web site: Heartbeats of Africa. September 2009. Theosophical Order of Service International.
  10. News: Heart Surgery Camp Targets 100 Children. 17 May 2017. Daily News.
  11. News: Lions Club, Regency mulling Heart Centre. 8 February 2016. The Guardian - IPP Media.
  12. News: Tanzania for tie-ups with Bangalore hospitals. 18 September 2007. Zee News India.
  13. News: Tanzania: Six Children Return After Heart Surgeries in India. 17 January 2013. All Africa.
  14. News: Tanzania: Heart Surgery Sponsors Deserve Ovation. 26 November 2012. All Africa.
  15. News: Tanzania: Sai Baba Sends Tanzanian Heart Patients to India for Better Future. 22 July 2012. All Africa.
  16. News: Heart Surgery Patients Thank India. 10 February 2014. Daily News (Tanzania).
  17. News: Tanzania: Free Diabetes Screening to Take Place in Dar Tomorrow. 13 November 2018. All Africa.
  18. News: Tanzania: Orthopaedic Hip, Knee Replacement Soon Coming to Tanzania. 2 January 2015. All Africa.
  19. News: Tanzania: Regency Centre Records Successful Knee Surgeries. 25 November 2016. All Africa.
  20. News: Tanzania: Free Eye Screening Camp Opens Today in Dar. 9 November 2014. All Africa.
  21. News: Tanzania: Surgery Now Made Easy in Dar es Salaam. 29 June 2012. All Africa.
  22. 1 January 2010. PROFILES OF PRAVASI BHARATIYA SAMMAN AWARDEES. India Matters - PUBLICATION OF THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF INDIA IN DUBAI. 2. 9.