The prestigious Goalkeepers Champions Award 2025, presented by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, honoured 10 global leaders driving progress in child survival. Among the awardees were three distinguished Indians — Dr. Abhay Bang, Dr. Rani Bang, and Dr. Naveen Thacker — whose work has transformed healthcare for millions.
At the event, Gates Foundation Chair Bill Gates issued a compelling call to world leaders: save millions of children’s lives and make some of the deadliest diseases history by 2045. The foundation also presented its 2025 Global Goalkeeper Award to Pedro Sanchez, President of the Government of Spain.
Recognising Dr. Abhay and Dr. Rani Bang for Transforming Rural Healthcare
Dr. Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang, founders of the Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health (SEARCH), were honoured for their pioneering community-based healthcare model in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra.
When contacted, Dr. Abhay Bang noted that the award coincided with his 75th birthday, calling it deeply meaningful:
“If we (Dr. Rani and I) could contribute to saving lives of millions of children, there couldn’t have been a better meaning in our lives,” he said.
Dr. Rani Bang added that the award was a recognition not only for SEARCH but also for the people of Gadchiroli.
Their work has revolutionised rural healthcare by:
- Training rural women in pneumonia treatment and newborn care.
- Reducing infant mortality from 121 to 16 per 1,000 live births.
- Inspiring the Government of India’s ASHA programme, now empowering over a million health workers to serve 15 million newborns annually.
Today, this model has been adopted in more than 80 countries, proving the power of simple, community-driven solutions.
However, Dr. Abhay Bang pointed to the next big challenge: finding effective ways to prevent non-communicable diseases, which he said is even more difficult than reducing child mortality.
Dr. Naveen Thacker: From Gandhidham to Global Leadership
Paediatrician Dr. Naveen Thacker, Executive Director of the International Paediatric Association and Director of Deep Children Hospital and Research Centre in Gandhidham, Gujarat, was also honoured as a Goalkeepers Champion.
Speaking from New York, Dr. Thacker reflected on his journey from a small town to global leadership. His story is one of resilience:
- In the 2001 Kutch earthquake, his 50-bed hospital collapsed. Instead of giving up, he rebuilt it and strengthened his commitment to children’s health.
- As a pioneer in polio eradication, he diagnosed 55 cases in a single month in 1994, sparking his lifelong mission to fight vaccine-preventable diseases.
- In 2017, UNICEF recognised him as a top global influencer in polio eradication.
Dr. Thacker’s work continues to inspire healthcare professionals and policymakers worldwide to prioritise child health and immunisation.
Driving Global Progress in Child Survival
As reported by Indian Express, the 2025 Goalkeepers event celebrated these champions not just for their past achievements but for their continued commitment to saving lives. Their work demonstrates that community-based innovation, resilience, and global collaboration are key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and building a healthier future for children everywhere.