Bhubaneswar: Eminent neurosurgeon Dr (Professor) Sanatan Rath passed away at his residence at Kanika Chhak in Tulasipur area of Cuttack city. He was 86.
According to family sources, Rath was suffering from age-related complications for a prolonged period.
Born July 25, 1934, Prof Rath achieved his MBBS (Utkal) degree in 1957, MS (Surgery) from Patna in 1962, and MS (Neurosurgery) from CMC, Vellore in 1965. He joined the Department of Neurosurgery, SCB Medical College and Hospital here as an assistant professor in May 1965. He became the associate professor of the same department in January 1968 and continued till May 1970. In May 1970, he was appointed head of the Department of Neurosurgery in SCB Medical College and Hospital.
Dr Rath was the first person in Odisha to use the CT scan machine while treating patients. At that time, this facility was available at only two hospitals in Delhi. One was AIIMs and the other one a private hospital.
It should be stated here that the Odisha government had appointed Dr Rath as the ‘Director of Medical Education’ in 1991.
In his condolence message, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik described Rath as a very popular surgeon known for his superb dexterity in treatment of critical neuro patients. “He was an accomplished professor and his immense contribution to health education in Odisha, especially in neurology studies, will always be remembered,” the chief minister said.
Expressing grief over the neurosurgeon’s demise, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, Dr Rath was sensitive towards the miseries of the poor and downtrodden.
PNN