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THE OCEAN PROJECT
About Us
The Ocean Project (TOP), a unique medical initiative of Dr Balaji Kalband, a neurologist and epileptologist in Sydney, Australia, aimed at helping patients with neurological ailments in Fiji.
All we need from you is your willingness to be part of this project. There will be no costs incurred and the following introduction will take less than five minutes of time to know the initiative.
Dr.Balaji Kalband
Neurologist and Epileptologist
Macquarie University Hospital, Sydney
About Epilepsy
Approximately 1% of Fiji's population suffer from epilepsy amounting to over 9000 patients living with epilepsy.
Epilepsy and the uncertainties surrounding the recurrence of seizures bring an inestimable burden to the patient in terms of undermined confidence in performing day-to-day activities including driving, missed educational opportunities, underemployment or unemployment, difficulties with having meaningful relations and social interactions leading to social exclusion.
Most epilepsies can be managed optimally with pharmacotherapy if the therapy is chosen in accordance with the seizure-types and tailored to patient-types to ensure compliance.
The specialised knowledge in early diagnosis and optimal management of epilepsy in a timely manner is difficult even in the most advanced of healthcare systems.
If left untreated, epilepsy is a potentially fatal illness.
Our Vision
Dr Balaji Kalband was born in rural India and completed his neurology training from National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) at Bengaluru, India, a state-run, premier institute renowned worldwide for neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry training, clinical services and research.
After a five-year training in neurology at NIMHANS and publishing original research on seizures and epilepsies in the elderly, he worked for five years in rural South India before immigrating to Australia for further specialization in epilepsy.
Since completing a Fellowship in Epilepsy from the University of Melbourne and becoming a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP), Dr Kalband has worked in various parts of Australia in public, private and university hospitals and clinics. He has continued to be actively engaged in academics and research as well. He is a clinical neurologist with over 15 years of experience in neurology and neurophysiology, currently practising in Sydney, Australia.
Coming from humble roots, Dr Kalband has always believed he has been graced with much more than he desired or deserved in life in general and neurology in particular. He therefore firmly believes he owes more than he can ever give back to the society.
The Ocean Project (TOP) originated from this earnest yearning to give back to the world that deserves more. Starting with Fiji, The Ocean Project endeavours to reach other regions of Oceania.
As of now, The Ocean Project is entirely supported by Dr Kalband's funding and is not affiliated to any organisation.