British doctor, Muhammed Javaid (pictured) – affectionately known as MJ – is a UK-trained specialist in renal and general medicine. He holds membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom and is a fellow of both the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (UK), and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
After completing his specialist training from the internationally-renowned London Deanery speciality training program, Dr Javaid served as a consultant nephrologist and physician for a number of years in a busy hospital on the outskirts of Greater London. In 2014 the entire Javaid family moved to Singapore when he was offered the opportunity to join the National University Hospital, a premium tertiary centre and the internationally-famed National University of Singapore as its consultant nephrologist and clinical assistant professor of medicine.
Having lived in Singapore for almost four years, the Javaids decided it was time for a taste of life Down Under and moved to Mildura in 2018. There, MJ became the local hospital’s consultant nephrologist and physician. At the same time, he continued to work closely with the tertiary renal centre at the Royal Melbourne Hospital playing a central role in developing Mildura’s regional renal services whilst continuing his involvement with teaching and academic medicine. He joined the Rural Medical School of Monash University as an adjunct associate professor. He still holds this position.
Following visits to the Grampians and the Otways, and a trip down the Great Ocean Road, the Javaids fell in love with South Western Victoria. ‘It started to feel like a place where we would like to eventually settle down,’ says MJ.
‘Warrnambool felt especially attractive and we were all thrilled when, last year, I had an offer to join South West Healthcare as a specialist nephrologist and physician.’
His work at our Warrnambool Base Hospital started last August. Keen to develop public inpatient and outpatient renal services for our region, Dr Javaid’s already established our first four-days-a-week public outpatient clinic to treat patients with conditions such as chronic kidney disease, kidney infections, and kidney failure.
He and his wife Dr Sheema Itrat (she’s working as a GP in Warrnambool – so it’s a double-win for the city) are looking forward to establishing their roots in our part of the world.
‘We are both hoping to serve the local community in our professional capacities for many years to come,’ he says, adding, ‘As avid travellers, keen hikers, outdoor enthusiasts, and myself also being a landscape photographer, I feel that Warrnambool offers everything that my family and I love and we’re excited to call this great regional city our long-term home.’
SWH medical services interim executive director Dr Grace Sousa (pictured) says the securing of such a respected specialist ensures public patients have access to the highest of quality care.
‘If you live in a rural area like Warrnambool, access to public specialist clinics is often lacking in availability and quality. The local health system is tasked with the challenge of ensuring the care provided achieves a level of quality at, or above, that available in private practice clinics. South West Healthcare repeatedly achieves this by handpicking very qualified and experienced specialists to purposefully develop services specific to the needs of our communities.’
Dr Sousa says the value and importance of public clinics cannot be underestimated. Public clinics serve a vital role in the provision of high quality and equitable care for patients and consumers, sparing them of out-of-pocket costs and saving them from having to travel away for treatment. Until now, many local nephrology patients have had little option than to travel to Geelong or Melbourne.
‘Specifically, general medicine public clinics are able to provide high quality specialist medical care to patients regardless of their economic situation and are designed to improve access to specialist physician review,’ she says.
Dr Javaid joins an impressive list of high-calibre SWH medical specialists who care deeply about the experience and outcomes delivered. They allow us to provide a vast array of specialties completely unique to a region of our size.
PHOTO courtesy of The Standard and photographer Morgan Hancock.