Nagpur: Padma Shri Awardee Dr.
Dhanjay Sagdeo, who was born and raised in Nagpur, has worked in the Muttil region dominated by Tribal in Wayanad Regency in Kerala for more than four decades.
He will be served Padma Shri in Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, on November 9 he arrived in the city on Saturday.
Before leaving for the national capital, he will celebrate Diwali with his family and friends here.
Dr.
Sagdeo has dedicated his life for the health care of tribal people in the hilly and remote Kerala region.
He said gaining respect and personal trust was the most important part of his journey.
The political scene in Kerala is dominated by the left while Dr.
Sagdeo is Rashtriya SwayamSevak Sangh (RSS).
“I left Nagpur and joined a one-room clinic run by Vivekanand Health Mission in Muttil as directed by the Head of RSS RSS Delasaheb Deoras,” he said.
According to him, learning local languages and knowing tribal life is the basic steps needed to interact with the locals.
“But, a larger task is to convince them that their work does not have a political or religious motive.
Over the years, I have established that we are social work that has nothing to do with political ideology or sound banks,” said Dr.
Sagdeo.
“We treat everyone who needs, regardless of their political religion or ideology.
That is why even Maois allows us to conduct a health camp in deep forest areas,” he said.
Instead he hasn’t received a threat from extremists, but Dr.
Sagdeo said that “the work spoke harder than political attitudes”.
“Tribe people still prefer our 35-bed hospitals for larger government facilities.
This is the belief we get for several decades of special services.
Even for Covid-19 vaccination, we are the most preferred center,” he said.
Kerala is one of the worst countries when it comes to Covid-19.
According to Dr.
Sagdeo, this even makes tribal people aware of the vaccine.
“The second wave is very devastating in Kerala.
All colonies of infected tribal people.
Fortunately, this disease is not too serious in these people.
Finally, disease exposure makes them realize the importance of the vaccine,” he said.
Vaccination is carried out in a good amount, he said, thanks to a strong public health system in the state.
“The third wave is not possible, at least in Kerala.” Zero Covid is not possible at all.
But, there will be no waves now.
Smaller surge may occur, “he said.
Being a service of apolitical and dedicated helps gain trust in Kerala: Dr. Sagdeo
