Rajni Kanabar

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.[3]

Rajni Kanabar
Born9 November 1940
Mwanza, Tanzania
Died25 June 2019
Dallas, Texas, USA
NationalityTanzanian
EducationM.B.B.S. (India), D.C.H. (Ireland)
Occupation(s)Founder of Regency Medical Centre, Dar es Salaam & Founder of Tanzania Heart Babies Project
Known forCommunity Service, Philanthropy
SpouseSarla Kanabar
AwardsPravasi Bharatiya Samman-2010, PBS Medal by High Commission of India in Tanzania - 2013, Order of the United Republic of Tanzania - 2014

Career

Dr. Rajni Kanabar completed his M.B.B.S. education from B.J. Medical College in Ahmedabad.[2] As a practicing physician in Tanzania, he observed a lack of infrastructure and medical facilities for children suffering from congenital heart diseases.[3] 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[3] 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.[1]

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.[8] On 25 April 2014, he was presented with the 'Order of the United Republic Medal' by the former President of Tanzania, Dr. Jakaya Kikwete.[1][3]

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