NEWS

I am Dr Rajnee Khadun and I would like to thank Asia Awards, World Research Congress and Times of London for giving me the “Asia’s Super Women Award of the Year 2022-2023 ” . I feel very privileged to be given this award and I feel all my efforts and constant devotion to my work has been rewarded at an international level.

I was born in Mauritius. Mauritius is a small island located in the Indian Ocean and it is a multi-cultural country where we speak English, French and our native language Creole.

I wanted to be a doctor since I was 5 years old. I got my inspiration through my parents, Mr Raj Kapoor and Mrs Pramila Khadun. My parents are now retired Educators. Throughout my childhood, my parents installed values in me and guided me to become who I am today.

My parents always taught me to help people as much as I can and serve people and my country with honesty, devotion and humbleness. My parents also taught me to respect everyone’s belief and cultures and always try to help people as much as I can. All the values, installed in me by my parents, have helped me into becoming who I am today.

I am working for the Ministry of Health and Wellness of Mauritius since some 17 years now. I graduated from People’s Friendship University of Russia in 2004. I came back to my country and did a one year internship then started working as a Medical officer. I was awarded a scholarship by the Chinese Government in 2009 and I graduated with a Masters in Gynaecology and Obstetrics in 2012 from Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. I came back to my country and since then I worked as a Gynaecologist (on a temporary basis) and worked as a Senior Medical Officer. During my career, I have worked in different departments in the 4 major government hospitals of Mauritius.

During my postings as a General Practitioner, I participated in School Health Programs, Screening of non-communicable diseases, did Baby Clinic, Antenatal Clinic, Family planning Clinic and also covered Dispensaries and Area Health Centres. I also participated in screening of Breast Cancer and did Pap’s Smear clinics to detect cervical cancer.

During all my postings in different departments, I managed patients in the Accident and Emergency Unit. All the patients were followed by me in wards and then later in the out-patient department. I also trained intern doctors, junior doctors, student nurses and nurses and encouraged everyone to work as a team.

I always emphasised in counselling patients and their relatives and explaining the prognosis of health of the patient to the relatives in simple medical terms. I always felt it a privilege to work with medical staff and take care of patients of different ethnical and religious backgrounds.

During my posting in the Emergency and Accident department as a casualty officer, I managed cases of poisoning, Myocardial Infarction, Supra Ventricular Tachycardia, Congestive Cardiac Failure, Left Ventricular Failure, stabbed wounds, acute abdomen, Perforated Duodenal Ulcer, acute exacerbation of Bronchial Asthma, handled aggressive psychiatric patients/ prisoners brought by police, resuscitated patients till the ICU team came, cases of sexual assault. I also managed patients with Chikungunya, Dengue and since November 2019 till now, patients with Covid.

During my posting in Gynaecology and Obstetrics as a General practitioner, I did some 2000 deliveries (simple and complicated).

During my posting as a Specialist in Gynaecology and Obstetrics I assisted deliveries and intervened in complicated ones. I did Ante-natal clinics in the hospitals and dispensaries and Gynaecological clinics in the hospitals and after proper screening and ultrasounds, patients were put on elective Caesarean Section list and Gynaecological surgery list from the respective clinics.

On on-call days I managed patients in the labour ward, saw admissions in the Gynaecology ward and did emergency Caesarean Sections; Emergency Evacuation of Product of Conception; Emergency laparotomy for ectopic pregnancies, twisted ovarian cysts. In the Gynaecology surgery list: laparotomy, Diagnostic &Curettage, Total Abdominal Hysterectomy were done.

I also assisted my Consultant and General Surgeons in complicated surgeries, laparoscopy surgeries, vaginal hysterectomies. All patients (admissions, pre-op, post-op, complicated antenatal and postnatal) were followed by me in wards and afterwards in the OPDs. I always made sure consent form for surgeries was filled properly and that patients and relatives were explained in details what surgery was being done and its risks and prognosis. During the Covid pandemic, I took care of patients with gynaecological issues in Covid wards and I also did deliveries and caesarean sections of patients who had Covid or recovered from Covid.

I am at present posted at Dr Bruno Cheong hospital and working as a gynaecologist. I also sometimes cover the Covid hospital which is found in the centre of the island.

Apart from my very hectic schedule, my 24 hours calls, I am also a mother to two lovely twins. After a very busy day, I spend the remaining of the afternoon with my two 2 months old sons and when I am on call, my parents and my sister take care of my boys.

I went through many challenges in life: ups and downs in life, a dominant male environment at work, a divorce, being a single mum but nothing stopped me and I am still going strong and still ambitious.

I would like to tell all women around the World, be strong, believe in yourself and move forward in life, use your past mistakes as a lesson to make better and bolder decisions and listen to your heart and not to others as you truly know what you want.