Dr Connel Barnabas is a partner at the practice of Drs Y T Singh, Connel Barnabas, Aveen Mahabal & Deya Ramachandran, based at Netcare’s Umhlanga Hospital.
He joined the practice in 2009 and has been in private practice for over 15 years with Dr YT Singh and partners. “I was fortunate to join a well-established and highly respected practice. Over the years I have had numerous opportunities to further my skills and attend many international conferences.”
From the outset, Dr Barnabas knew his chosen field of medicine would be cardiology.
He attended Michaelhouse where he matriculated as a top achiever. After obtaining his MB ChB from the University of Natal, he completed his internship, community service and physician training in various provincial hospitals in Kwazulu-Natal. He subsequently practised in the United Kingdom and is still registered with the British Medical Council. He returned home to Durban to complete his cardiology training at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital.
Cardiology was a discipline which always made perfect sense to him. The logic of it appealed strongly, and the numerous advances in cardiology made it a very exciting and challenging field which is constantly changing. In particular, it is the practical aspects of cardiology which he finds especially rewarding. “As a cardiologist, I not only treat patients medically, but have the opportunity to perform invasive surgical procedures as well. I enjoy complex angioplasty, inserting stents, pacemakers, and structural heart interventions. It’s very gratifying spending time in the cardiac catheterisation lab performing advanced procedures.”
Dr Barnabas is experienced in complex angioplasty, a more advanced form of traditional cardiac stenting. This is made possible by new technology combined with high technical skill. He has trained with various local and international experts: “Today, there are new non-invasive ways to treat high-risk patients which previously would have been impossible,” he says.
“In a practice such as ours with four partners,” says Dr Barnabas, “patients are always assured of continuity of care. It is very important that there is always a partner on call who can access the patient’s records and ensure the best, most appropriate medical care for that specific patient. We are a strong team.”
For Dr Barnabas, it is crucial to have a solid family support system. He is married to Nishani, a medical doctor, and has two children, with whom he loves spending time, particularly in the outdoors.
Details: www.cardiologists.co.za; 031 566 1600; reception@cardiologists.co.za
