DR. GOPAL RABINDRANATH QUALIFICATIONS 1956 MBBS (Madras University) 1961 MRCP (Glasgow) 1974 FRCP (Glasgow)   EXPERIENCE  1956      : Graduation from Madras Medical College, India. 1956-57: Intern, Govt. General Hospital, Madras, India. 1957-63: United Newcastle On Tyne Group Hospitals, England. 1963-64: Professorial Medical Unit, Erskine Hospital, Madurai. 1964-67: Hony. Asst. Physician, Govt General Hospital, Madras 1967-68: Commonwealth Medical Fellow In Nephrology,                  University Of Newscatle, England, UK. 1968-72: Nephrologist, Urology Dept, General Hospital,                   Madras. 1970-72: Hony. Reader in Nephrology, Madras Medical College. 1972-73: Consultant Physician, Broken Hill Hospital,                   NSW, Australia. 1973-74: Senior Consultant Physician, Broken Hill Hospital,                   NSW, Australia. 1974-75: Consultant Physician, Camden Hospital,                   NSW Near Sydney. 1974-03: Specialist Physician & Family Physician,                   Sydney, Australia.   From 2004: Residing in Pondicherry, India.   From 2007: Consultant Nephrologist         East Coast Hospitals,         90 Thiruvalluvar Salai,         Pondicherry 605013.         India.   MEMBER Indian Society of Nephrology (ISN) Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology (ANZSN) European Renal Association - European Dialysis and Transplantation Association (ERA-EDTA International Society for Hemodialysis (ISHD) Southern Chapter - Indian Society of Nephrology (ISN-SC)   SPECIFIC INTEREST  Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Daily Short Haemodialysis (SHD) Self/Assisted Home Haemodialysis Training (HHD)     OVERVIEW Dr Gopal Rabindranath after returning from United Kingdom in 1963 and after completing his term in the Professorial Medical Unit, Erskine Hospital, Madurai (Now Madurai Meidical College) joined as Honorary Asst Physician, in Dr Sam G P Moses unit in Govt. General Hospital, Madras. Due to the strong emphasis on Diabetes in Dr Moses Unit, he was exposed to Diabetology. In 1965, he initiated Diabetology services in Voluntary Health Services Hospital (VHS). On his securing the Commonwealth Medical Fellowship, he invited Dr C. V. Krishnaswamy to take over the diabetology services in VHS Hospital, which has now developed as an excellent Diabetology Dept.   Dr Gopal Rabindranath was selected as a Commonwealth Medical Fellow in Nephrology by direct nomination from the University of Newcastle on Tyne, for the specific purpose of undergoing training to facilitate the development of Nephrology services in Govt General Hospital and Madras Medical College. After spending one year under the guidance of well known Nephrologist Dr D N S Kerr (Emeritus Professor) in the University of Newcastle affiliated Royal Victoria Infirmary, he returned to Govt General Hospital to work in Honorary Capacity. The Nephrology services were started from ‘ground level’. Dr Gopal Rabindranath persuaded ‘Lucas’ of England, UK, to donate one Lucas Dialysis Machine, and he was also well supported by the Lucas-affiliate company in Madras, ‘LUCAS-TVS’ in his efforts to get the Nephrology Services initiated in 1969. Lucas Haemodialysis Machine was designed to be used with single-use disposable ‘Mini-Coil’ Haemodialysers. As it is impossible to import on regular basis these disposable ‘Mini-Coil’ Dialysers, ‘Kiil’ Parallel Plate Dialysers were used for the Haemodialysis services in the Govt General Hospital. Indigenous-made similar 3-plate prototype ‘Kiil’ type plate Dialysers was also done. The ‘Kiil’ Haemodialyis procedure itself was very ‘labour-intensive’ procedure, both in the initiation and termination process.  In spite of enormous difficulties and criticism, the Nephrology services was commenced in 1969 by Dr Gopal Rabindranath under the banner and help from the Urology Department headed by Professor A. Venugopal. With minimal staff (Dr Rabindranath as the Nephrologist, Mr Sabapathy as biochemist and Mr Sivamani as the first Dialysis Technologist).  Acute renal failure cases were treated with comparable good results depending on the causative factors, Peritoneal dialysis was performed in General Hospital as well as in the Teaching Childrens’ Hospital in Madras. Renal Biopsies were performed mostly in Govt General Hospital, which is the affiliated Hospital to the Madras Medical College. Thus the foundation of Nephrology Services was laid by Dr Gopal Rabindranath prior to his migration to Australia in 1974.   Dr Gopal Rabindranath has returned to reside in Pondicherry in 2004 with specific objectives. He is currently pursuing his efforts to propagate the concept of Home Haemodialysis (self or assisted), in spite of ‘misgivings’ from several quarters about the desirability or suitability of Home Haemodialysis in the Indian scene. Since better results can be achieved (better Quality of Life) with ‘as well as personal freedom’ for the End Stage Kidney Disease patient needing maintenance Haemodialysis in the Hospital Dialysis Centre, Dr Rabindranath is determined to continue his efforts to establish ‘Home Haemodialysis’ concept. Once a beginning is made, this option will grow further. In his pursuit to propagate ‘Home Haemodialysis’ in India, Dr Rabindranath, went to Sydney, Australia in 2006 to observe for 4 weeks the protocol that is being followed in the Western Sydney Home Haemodialysis Training Unit under the care of Associate Professor Dr David C Harris. Western Sydney Home Haemodialysis Training Unit in Sydney is one of the biggest training units in Australia. He visited the Haemodialysis Training Unit in Sydney that was training Central Coast Region ESKD patients on Home Haemodialysis. He visited the Geelong Home Haemodialysis Training Unit headed by Professor Dr John Agar in Geelong, Victoria which initiated the services in 2002 in Australia.  Australia and New Zealand are the leaders in providing Home Haemodialysis training and has the highest percentage of ESKD patients on maintenance Haemodialysis opting for Home Haemodialysis, either as self-HD or Assisted HD, depending on personal circumstances.     Home Haemodialysis dedicated training units do not exist in India for promoting Self/Assisted-Haemodialysis yet, as far known. Assisted-Home-Haemodialysis patients do exist but the number is very few indeed. It is the aim of Dr. Rabindranath to make the public as well as the ‘ESKD’ patients/their families to become aware of the benefits of Home Haemodialysis. Knowledge is continuously accumulating in global nephrology literature. The benefits that can be achieved by ‘Home Haemodialysis’ is enormous. The choice has to be made by the patient in consultation with family and Nephrologist. If HD patient needing Maintenance HD can be taught how to take care of his Haemodialysis needs, the greatest service has been done.