“This honour is both deeply personal and a tribute to the incredible communities I’ve had the privilege to serve,” says Dr Kunwarjit Singh Sangla of Townsville, who has been awarded the Member of the Order of Australia award (AM) on Australia Day this year.
Dr Sangla is currently serving as the Medical Director for Medical specialities at Townsville University Hospital. Specialising in endocrinology, general and obstetric medicine and deeply passionate about rural, remote and indigenous health, he says it’s rewarding to be able to continue to help shape policy for the betterment of rural and indigenous communities as a Board Member of Townsville Hospital and Health Services.
Dr Sangla takes pride in his work of over two decades, delivering face-to-face outreach clinics in Central, West and North Queensland.
“The communities (here) face limited access to specialist care and high rates of clinician turnover, often resulting in fragmented care. I have supported patients and clinicians with email and telephone advice over many years and continue to do so. This was prior to Telehealth being available, which helped me expand my footprint across the region,” he says.
“I have been travelling by plane, by road and in two-to-four-seater single-engine aircrafts three to four times a month, to visit these communities. Of course I’ve seen a fair share of challenges during these travels, considering the vast distances I need to travel, weeks away from home and the time commitments required,” he admits.
The in-patient diabetes dashboard developed by Dr Sangla enables a nurse to virtually monitor blood glucose levels of all admitted patients across the health service — including rural hospitals with a digital footprint — and provide tailored management advice. The innovation, which improves patient outcomes, earned him the Health Roundtable Health Innovation Award in 2023.
Accolades
Other notable achievements of Dr Sangla include the drafting of the statewide protocol for managing patients (16+ years) presenting to hospital with Diabetes Ketoacidosis, mostly seen in patients of Type 1 diabetes.
In 2024, Dr Sangla received the Queensland Health award for digitising healthcare by developing the venous thromboembolism (VTE) virtual dashboard, which is centrally monitored by high-risk pharmacists to ensure correct VTE prescription/ modality, and appropriate and timely charting and administration across the health service. “This can be life threatening and has been one of the leading causes of unexpected deaths in patients admitted to hospital,” he explains.
His greatest satisfaction, however, comes from the waiver of intellectual property rights on all three initiatives by Queensland Health for them to be freely and widely adopted by other health services.
Dr Sangla, a graduate of Medical College in Amritsar (Punjab), credits his Indian upbringing for his mental resilience to be able to keep up with the demands of his profession. “I deal with emergencies quite frequently, and regularly manage complicated pregnancy cases,” he explains. “One must keep abreast of the changes in medications, technology, and latest investigations to deliver person-centred care, which is evidence-based, safe and of the highest quality.”
Acknowledging the increasing numbers of people of Indian origin winning the top honours in Australia, Dr Sangla says it speaks volumes about Indian culture and upbringing which are reflected in our shared commitment to excellence. Dr Sangla was born in Delhi but lived all around India courtesy his father’s defence postings.
Recalling his own amalgamation with the Australian way of life, Dr Kunwarjit Singh Sangla, emphasises on the importance of integration. “When I migrated to Australia in 2001, people of Indian origin were few and far between. We had to learn and adapt quickly. I believe it’s important for new migrants to Australia step out of their comfort zone and embrace diversity,” he advises.
