Gadchiroli Dec. 2 (District Correspondent) Dr. Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang, founders of the well-known social organization SEARCH have been honoured with ‘The Legends’ Award by Sri Sathya Sai University, Karnataka, at Sathya Sai Gram, Muddenhuli, Karnataka.
The award was presented by Shri Sadguru Mudhusudan Sai and Dr. C. Srinivasan recently on the occasion of the 99th birth anniversary of Sathya Sai Baba, for their human excellence in the field of health.
The Bang couple have provided medical care to lakhs of patients in Gadchiroli district in the last 38 years through the ‘Search’ organization, globally recognized health research, Muktipath district-wide program to reduce alcohol and tobacco, Nirman and Tarunya Bhan programs for youth.
The new method they have discovered to reduce child mortality – Door-to-door newborn care is the first in the world and is now being provided by the Government of India through the ‘ASHA’ scheme. Last year, 1.5 crore newborns in India were provided with health care through this method.
Dr. Abhay and Dr. Rani Bang have previously received the Maharashtra Bhushan and Padma Shri awards and have been honoured with nearly 70 awards. ‘Time’ magazine (USA) also has honoured them as ‘Global Health Heroes’ in 2005, while The Lancet has honoured them as ‘The Pioneers in Rural Health Care’.
