‘ServiCE to man is service to God.’ For Dr Sanjay Paithankar, these words are not just a guiding principle but the foundation of a journey that transformed healthcare access for thousands of economically weaker people in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A Nagpur-born doctor who built one of the UAE’s largest value-based healthcare networks, Dr Paithankar was speaking with ‘The Hitavada’ on Thursday, on the eve of being honoured with Vidarbha Gaurav Puraskar 2026 by Krushi Vikas Pratishthan. After completing his MBBS from Government Medical College and Hospital, Nagpur, in 1985, he pursued advanced training in cardiology at Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai. During his practice in Mumbai, he treated a king from Dubai, who was impressed by his work and invited him to the UAE. “I needed to arrange nearly Rs 5 lakh to open my own hospital in the city, and hence decided to go to Dubai,” recalled Dr Paithankar.

 

However, Dubai offered him a purpose far greater than the financial goal he had set for himself. In the UAE, he once noticed a young Pakistani worker being taken out of a hospital in a wheelchair, visibly in pain. On examining his ECG, Dr Paithankar realised that the man was suffering from a serious cardiac condition. The worker was unable to access proper treatment because of financial constraints. The incident left a lasting impression on the doctor. He visited the worker’s labour camp and decided to make healthcare affordable and accessible to migrant labourers and other underprivileged communities.

 

What began with consultations and treatment at a nominal fee of 10 Dirhams has since grown into a network of 63 medical facilities, including 31 clinics, pharmacies and diagnostic centres. Dr Paithankar is now the Founder and Board Member of Right Health, UAE’s largest value-based healthcare chain. For him, affordability has never meant compromising on quality. His vision of ‘Healthcare with Humanity’ rests on the belief that every patient deserves dignity, irrespective of financial means.

 

“A doctor should have respect for a poor patient and, equally, respect for the pain that the patient is going through,” he said. His ambition, however, extends beyond the existing network. Dr Paithankar dreams of establishing a 100-bed hospital in Dubai that would provide quality healthcare at Indian prices. Despite building his professional career overseas, Dr Paithankar has maintained close ties with his hometown. His contributions include support for the auditorium of the Indian Medical Association, a ward at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Hospital and activities associated with the Army Women’s Welfare Association. He has also supported marriages of educated girls from financially weak backgrounds. “While being active in one’s Karyabhoomi, nobody should forget one’s homeland, one’s Karmabhoomi,” he said. Vidarbha Gaurav Puraskar, he said, carries a special emotional significance. “Being recognised at home, that too at the hands of RSS chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat, makes it even better than receiving the Bharat Ratna,” he remarked.