WHO ARE WE?

Dr Rubendren Naidoo is an anaesthesiologist and pain specialist with special interests in chronic pain management, medical law, and bioethics. He graduated from the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 2004, where his early exposure to anaesthesia sparked a lifelong interest in the discipline. During medical school, he completed an elective in anaesthesia at Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, India, and went on to obtain the Diploma in Anaesthesia (DA SA) in 2007. Before specialising, Dr Naidoo spent several years working abroad, serving as both anaesthetist and general practitioner on the remote island of St Helena, and later as a Ship’s Physician with Royal Caribbean International, where he travelled extensively and gained invaluable global medical experience. He returned to South Africa to specialise in anaesthesia at Tygerberg Hospital, Stellenbosch University, earning both his Fellowship of the College of Anaesthesiologists (FCA SA) and Master of Medicine in Anaesthesiology (MMed). He was subsequently appointed as a Consultant Anaesthesiologist at Tygerberg Hospital, where he was actively involved in clinical teaching and the hospital’s Chronic Pain Clinic. In 2018, he completed the UCT Postgraduate Diploma in Interdisciplinary Pain Management, further cementing his commitment to the holistic treatment of pain. In 2018, Dr Naidoo relocated to Johannesburg, founding his private practice, Oxford Pain Clinic, where he continues to provide specialised care rooted in compassion, science, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Alongside his clinical work, Dr Naidoo pursued a Master of Laws (LLM) in Medical Law and Bioethics through the University of Edinburgh (UK), which he completed in 2022. His dissertation explored “The Criminalisation of the Reckless Transmission of HIV and Its Legal Implications”, reflecting his deep engagement with the ethical intersections of medicine and law. He currently lectures and teaches applied medical ethics, moving beyond traditional frameworks such as Beauchamp and Childress to explore real-world moral reasoning in medical practice. Dr Naidoo served as a Council Member of the National Pain Council of South Africa (2022–2025) and is the Chair of the 2026 National Pain Congress, to be held in Johannesburg from 22–24 May 2026. He also serves as an examiner for the College of Anaesthesiologists of South Africa, contributing to the Part I specialist examinations in Pharmacology. Clinically, Dr Naidoo’s special interests include neuropathic pain, central sensitisation, cancer pain, and opioid-sparing anaesthesia. His approach to chronic pain integrates pharmacological and interventional treatments with rehabilitation and psychological therapy, recognising that effective pain management requires a journey of education, intervention, and neuroplastic change rather than a single consultation. Dr Naidoo strongly advocates for Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE)—a scientifically validated approach that empowers patients by reframing their understanding of pain and promoting adaptive recovery. He collaborates within multidisciplinary teams across Johannesburg and the East Rand, combining medical, psychological, and physical therapies to restore function and improve quality of life. His vision is to redefine the patient’s pain experience through empathy, education, and science—helping individuals regain control over their health and wellbeing.