Bacchus Marsh GP Ravin Sadhai believes in connection, communication, and community wellbeing for all.
A Bacchus Marsh local since 1983, Dr Sadhai has been practising at Bacchus Marsh Medical Centre since 2005.
On Monday 26 January his service to medicine and the community of Bacchus Marsh was recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).
He said values were built around those of his late father, who died12 years ago, and inspired Dr Sadhai to follow in his footsteps.
“My dad was a GP in town for many years. He was heavily involved in the medical community,” Dr Sadhai said.
“We’re immigrants to Australia, My dad always wanted to be involved with things locally and I was sort of forged in that way. There was always a desire to be involved.”
It’s that very ethos which encouraged Dr Sadhai to start the Pub Clinic, a free pub-based men’s health clinic centred around fostering healthy relationships and getting the conversation going on health and wellbeing.
“After seeing some blokes you’d normally expect to be healthy and okay have sudden events like heart attacks, I decided we better do something about men’s health,” Dr Sadhai said.
“Having spent six years in Dublin, Ireland, completing my medical degree, I saw the pub as a central hub. So in 2008, the pub clinic was born.”
Dr Sadhai then extended the conversation to involve even more of the Bacchus Marsh and surrounding communities.
Dr Sadhai then extended the conversation to involve even more of the community.
“About three or four years ago we decided after some discussion to come up with the Ladies’ Lounge, where we have women’s health presented in a similar forum.
“They’re all done in the Bacchus Marsh community at The Plough Hotel.”
The clinics feature guest speakers, information sessions from health professionals, and the opportunity to foster healthy connections and conversations with those from the community.
From humble beginnings in its inception in 2008, Dr Sadhai has watched it steadily grow over the years.
“We had about 20 people show up to the first clinic as a general men’s information night,” Dr Sadhai said.
“We generally get between 120-140 blokes coming along.
“A lot of people hear about it just through word of mouth.”
But as Dr Sadhai explains, the pub clinic wouldn’t exist without the community involvement.
“It’s the support of the community that keeps it alive,” he said.
“People from the Lions club come along, the CFA, the footy clubs. They’ve been big supporters of the initiatives.”
Despite his work, Dr Sadhai remains humble and wants nothing more than to give back to the community he loves so much.
“It’s a great honour,” Dr Sadhai said of the OAM.
“It’s not just an honour for me, but for my family, including my late father and my wife. They tend to be by my side both spiritually and physically.
“It’s recognition not just for myself, but for the people around me as well.”
The Pub Clinic and Ladies’ lounge: https://www.thepubclinic.au.
