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Dr. Pratik Savaj

FNB Infectious Diseases · SCID-AI, Nanpura, Surat

Infectious Disease Specialist · Surat

Surat’s DedicatedInfectious Disease Specialist

Dr. Pratik Savaj is the founder of SCID-AI — Surat Centre for Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Intelligence. He holds an FNB in Infectious Diseases from P.D. Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai — one of India’s highest specialist qualifications in this field. He is one of very few physicians in Gujarat with this level of formal training.

MBBS — 2011 DNB Medicine — 2016 Fellowship ID — 2017 FNB Infectious Diseases — 2018

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12+Years of specialist infectious disease practiceMBBS 2011 through present

FNBHighest ID qualification in IndiaP.D. Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai

HIV · TBDual specialist focus at SCID-AIIncluding co-infection management

1Speciality. Full focus. No dilution.Infectious disease only

His Story

Built for Patients Who Needed a Specialist — and Had None

Surat is one of India’s most dynamic cities — but for years, patients with complex infectious diseases had no dedicated specialist to turn to. They moved between general physicians, getting treated for symptoms rather than diagnoses. Dengue patients received ibuprofen. Typhoid cases were treated empirically with fluoroquinolones despite growing resistance. HIV patients struggled to find a physician who understood both the virus and the human being carrying it.

Dr. Pratik Savaj trained specifically to fill this gap. After completing his MBBS and DNB in internal medicine, he pursued the most demanding infectious disease training available in India — a fellowship at P.D. Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai, followed by the FNB in Infectious Diseases. He then returned to Surat and founded SCID-AI (Surat Centre for Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Intelligence) — to bring subspecialist-level infectious disease care to the city.

SCID-AI is not a general clinic. It is a single-speciality practice focused exclusively on infectious disease — the only one of its kind in Surat. Every consultation, every protocol, every treatment decision draws on a level of specialty training and focus that cannot be replicated by a general physician managing infections alongside a full general medicine practice.

Why a Dedicated Infectious Disease Clinic Matters

In Surat during monsoon, up to 50% of all outpatient fever visits could be dengue, malaria, or typhoid — all requiring specific, different management. The wrong treatment is not just ineffective — it is dangerous. Ibuprofen for dengue causes bleeding. Ciprofloxacin for fluoroquinolone-resistant typhoid fails. Treating “HIV fever” without HIV testing misses a lifelong diagnosis. A specialist builds protocols around these specific risks. A generalist cannot.

Dr. Pratik Savaj consulting a patient at SCID-AI

What SCID-AI Stands For

Surat Centre for Infectious Diseases — Surat’s first dedicated single-speciality infectious disease clinic

AI — Antimicrobial Intelligence: rational antibiotic use, resistance surveillance, and culture-guided prescribing

Not a referral centre — direct access. No referral letter needed. Walk in or WhatsApp.

Single doctor, full focus — every patient seen by Dr. Savaj personally, not delegated

Medical Training

A Focused Path to the Highest Qualification

2007

MBBS Commenced

Bharti Vidyapeeth Medical College, Sangli, Maharashtra

Foundation in clinical medicine. Rotating internship across all major specialities — medicine, surgery, paediatrics, and obstetrics.

2011

MBBS Completed

Bharti Vidyapeeth Medical College, Sangli

Graduated with a broad clinical foundation. Began residency training with a focus on internal medicine — the base speciality for infectious disease.

2013

DNB Medicine Commenced

Venus Hospital, Surat, Gujarat

Three-year postgraduate residency in internal medicine at a busy tertiary hospital in Surat — managing a high volume of complex fever, infection, and tropical disease cases.

2016

DNB Medicine — Diplomate of National Board

Venus Hospital, Surat

Completed postgraduate internal medicine training. The DNB qualification is the national board equivalent of MD Medicine — awarded after rigorous written and clinical examination.

2017

Fellowship in Infectious Diseases

P.D. Hinduja Hospital & MRC, Mumbai

Clinical fellowship in infectious diseases at P.D. Hinduja — one of India’s premier tertiary hospitals with a nationally recognised infectious disease department. Intensive exposure to HIV, TB, tropical infections, antimicrobial stewardship, and complex co-morbid infectious disease cases from across India.

2018

FNB — Fellowship of National Board

Infectious Diseases · P.D. Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai

The highest infectious disease qualification in India. Awarded by the National Board of Examinations after completing the 2-year fellowship and passing the FNB examination. Covers the full spectrum of infectious disease medicine including HIV, TB, tropical infections, viral hepatitis, antimicrobial stewardship, and immunocompromised host infections. Very few physicians in Gujarat hold this qualification.

P.D. Hinduja Hospital Mumbai — infectious disease training

Why the FNB Matters

The FNB in Infectious Diseases is not a certificate course — it is a two-year full-time subspecialty fellowship at an accredited tertiary hospital, followed by a national board examination. Candidates manage complex, high-acuity infectious disease cases under senior specialist supervision. In Gujarat, this level of formal subspecialty training in infectious disease is extremely rare.

Why a Specialist?

One Speciality. Twelve Years. Every Day.

The difference between a general physician and an infectious disease specialist is not simply knowledge — it is the depth, focus, and daily practice of that knowledge. General physicians manage thousands of different conditions. An infectious disease specialist manages one category of conditions — infections — with a depth that simply isn’t achievable alongside a general practice.

This distinction becomes clinically significant in exactly the cases that bring patients to SCID-AI: prolonged fever without a diagnosis, infections that have failed standard treatment, complex infections in immunocompromised patients, drug-resistant organisms, and situations where the wrong treatment carries serious consequences.

General Physician

Manages all medical conditions — broad but shallow depth in each

Standard antibiotic protocols — empirical, not culture-guided

Limited training in drug-resistant infection management

FUO investigation limited to routine tests

HIV and TB managed as general conditions

Immunocompromised infections may be beyond expertise

Dr. Savaj — ID Specialist

One speciality — full depth, updated protocols, daily practice

Culture-guided antibiotic selection with local resistance data

MDR, XDR organisms — dedicated training and protocol

Systematic FUO workup — TB, lymphoma, connective tissue, occult infection

HIV and TB co-infection — specialist FNB-level management

Immunocompromised infections — core specialty training

Infectious disease specialist assessment SCID-AI

Clinical Approach

How Dr. Savaj Approaches Every Case

Every case at SCID-AI follows a structured, methodical approach — the same one Dr. Savaj was trained to apply at P.D. Hinduja Hospital, where complex infectious cases from across India were managed daily.

Complete History

Travel history, occupational exposure, sexual history, prior infections, medications, and full symptom timeline. History is the most powerful diagnostic tool in infectious disease — more than any test.

Targeted Investigation

The right tests — not all tests. Blood culture before antibiotics. NS1 for dengue on day 1. GeneXpert not Widal for suspected TB. Rational, sequence-driven diagnostic investigation.

Culture-Guided Treatment

Empirical treatment when urgency demands it — but always guided by local resistance data. Definitive treatment follows culture and sensitivity. No unnecessary broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Explain & Monitor

Every patient leaves understanding their diagnosis, their treatment, and what warning signs to watch for. Monitoring schedules are specific — not generic. Patients are partners in their own care.

Antimicrobial Stewardship

The “AI” in SCID-AI stands for Antimicrobial Intelligence. Dr. Savaj is committed to rational antibiotic use — prescribing only what is necessary, at the right dose, for the right duration, guided by culture and local resistance patterns. This protects individual patients from side effects and resistance — and protects the broader community from the growing crisis of antibiotic resistance that is making common infections untreatable.

Areas of Specialist Practice

What Dr. Savaj Treats

SCID-AI focuses on the full spectrum of infectious disease — from acute tropical infections to chronic viral conditions to complex immunocompromised host infections.

HIV & Sexual Health

Confidential HIV Care — Testing, Treatment, and Prevention

Dr. Savaj provides complete HIV care: confidential HIV testing with pre and post-test counselling; ART initiation and management; CD4 and viral load monitoring; PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) within 72 hours; PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis); HIV-TB co-infection management; PMTCT (prevention of mother-to-child transmission); and U=U counselling. All consultations are legally confidential under the HIV Act 2017. No referral needed.

HIV specialist consultation — SCID-AI Surat

Tuberculosis & Drug-Resistant TB

TB Diagnosis, DOTS Management & MDR-TB

Comprehensive TB management: GeneXpert-based diagnosis; DOTS supervision; drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB (MDR-TB, Pre-XDR, XDR-TB); TB-HIV co-infection including IRIS management; extrapulmonary TB (lymph node, abdominal, spinal, meningeal); isoniazid preventive therapy for HIV patients; and contact tracing and household TB screening. Dr. Savaj has specific training in complex TB cases from his Hinduja fellowship.

Fever & Tropical Infections

Dengue, Malaria, Typhoid, Chikungunya & Fever of Unknown Origin

Monsoon fever management is at the core of SCID-AI’s practice. Dengue: NS1 testing, daily platelet monitoring, warning sign surveillance. Malaria: species identification, ACT for falciparum, radical cure for vivax. Typhoid: blood culture with AST, culture-guided antibiotics given widespread fluoroquinolone resistance in Surat. FUO: systematic investigation protocol for prolonged unexplained fever. Chikungunya: acute management and post-chikungunya arthritis with hydroxychloroquine.

Tropical fever specialist Surat — dengue malaria typhoid

Viral Hepatitis & Antimicrobial Stewardship

Hepatitis B, Antimicrobial Resistance & Complex Infections

Hepatitis B: serology interpretation, viral load monitoring, liver fibrosis assessment, antiviral therapy (tenofovir, entecavir), liver cancer surveillance, HBV-HIV co-infection. Antimicrobial stewardship: rational antibiotic prescribing, culture-guided therapy, resistance pattern counselling. Complex and rare infections: leptospirosis, scrub typhus, melioidosis, healthcare-associated infections, and infections in immunocompromised hosts.

Patient Reviews

What Patients Say

I had fever for 3 weeks and saw 4 doctors. None could tell me what it was. Dr. Savaj did a systematic workup and diagnosed extrapulmonary TB in 3 days. I had no cough, no chest symptoms — and a normal chest X-ray. He knew exactly what to look for.

Rajesh K.Fever of Unknown Origin · Surat

My dengue platelet count was falling every day. Dr. Savaj reviewed my daily CBC and told me exactly when to worry and when to wait. I didn’t need hospitalisation because of his daily monitoring. Incredibly reassuring.

Priya M.Dengue Fever · Vesu, Surat

Dr. Savaj managed my HIV diagnosis with complete confidentiality and dignity. He explained everything — U=U, ART, what to expect. I am now undetectable. He gave me back my life without making me feel judged for even one second.

AnonymousHIV Care · Surat

My typhoid was not getting better on ciprofloxacin. Dr. Savaj sent a blood culture, found it was fluoroquinolone-resistant, and switched to the right antibiotic. I recovered in 5 days. No other doctor had thought to check resistance.

Harsh B.Drug-Resistant Typhoid · Adajan, Surat

My mother had chikungunya and the joint pain didn’t go away for months. We were told “it takes time.” Dr. Savaj diagnosed post-chikungunya arthritis and started hydroxychloroquine. Within 6 weeks she was walking normally again.

Neha S.Post-Chikungunya Arthritis · Surat

I was HBsAg positive for years and never got a proper explanation. Dr. Savaj explained my viral load, what it means for my liver, what monitoring I need, and when I would need treatment. I finally understand my own condition and feel in control of it.

Deepak T.Chronic Hepatitis B · Surat

Patient Confidentiality

Your Privacy Is a Legal Right — Not a Courtesy

Many patients delay seeking care for HIV, hepatitis, and STIs out of fear that their diagnosis will be disclosed. At SCID-AI, confidentiality is not a policy — it is a legal obligation backed by criminal penalties for violation.

HIV Act 2017 — Legal Confidentiality

The HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017 mandates complete legal confidentiality of HIV status. It cannot be shared with employers, family, insurers, or any other party without explicit written consent. Healthcare providers who violate this face criminal penalties.

No Disclosure Without Written Consent

At SCID-AI, no health information is disclosed to any third party — employer, family member, insurer, or institution — without your explicit written consent. This applies to all conditions, not just HIV.

Dignity in Every Consultation

Every patient is treated with equal respect regardless of their diagnosis, personal circumstances, or the reason for their consultation. There is no judgement at SCID-AI. There is only a commitment to providing the best possible specialist care.

Common Questions

Questions About Dr. Savaj & SCID-AI

Answers to the questions new patients most commonly ask before their first consultation.

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What is an FNB Infectious Diseases qualification?

FNB (Fellowship of National Board) in Infectious Diseases is the highest post-graduate specialist qualification in infectious disease medicine in India. It is awarded by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) following a rigorous 2-year fellowship at an accredited centre. Dr. Savaj completed his FNB training at P.D. Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai — one of India’s premier tertiary care institutions with one of the country’s most active infectious disease departments. Very few physicians in Gujarat hold this qualification.

Does Dr. Savaj treat patients of all ages?

Yes. Dr. Savaj treats adult patients of all ages. He has particular expertise in complex cases — including immunocompromised patients (HIV, transplant, chemotherapy), elderly patients with multiple comorbidities, patients with drug-resistant infections, and patients who have been seen by multiple other physicians without a diagnosis.

How is an infectious disease specialist different from a general physician?

A general physician manages common infections with standard antibiotics and protocols. An infectious disease specialist is trained to: diagnose infections that don’t respond to standard treatment; identify rare or unusual infections; manage drug-resistant organisms; handle infections in immunocompromised patients; interpret complex microbiology results; conduct systematic Fever of Unknown Origin workups; and manage complex infections like HIV, TB, hepatitis B, and vector-borne diseases with specialist-level protocols. The difference becomes critical when standard treatment has failed, when the diagnosis is unclear, or when the patient has a complex underlying condition.

Is my consultation confidential?

Completely and legally. All consultations at SCID-AI are fully confidential under Indian law. For HIV specifically, the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017 mandates strict legal confidentiality of HIV status — it cannot be disclosed to employers, family members, insurers, or any other party without your explicit written consent. Healthcare providers who violate confidentiality face criminal penalties under this Act. Dr. Savaj takes patient confidentiality with complete seriousness — it is foundational to our practice.

Does Dr. Savaj see patients on an emergency or same-day basis?

Yes — for time-sensitive situations. Call or WhatsApp +91 72839 34807 immediately for: post-exposure HIV risk requiring PEP (must start within 72 hours); high fever after travel to a malaria-endemic area (requires assessment within 24 hours); dengue fever with warning signs (sudden severe abdominal pain, bleeding, platelet below 20,000); or any other situation where you believe delay carries significant medical risk. Dr. Savaj prioritises urgent cases and will guide you on the fastest appropriate path.

Can I get a second opinion from Dr. Savaj?

Yes — second opinions are welcome and encouraged. Many patients come to SCID-AI after seeing multiple physicians without a clear diagnosis, after failing standard antibiotic treatment, or after receiving a diagnosis that doesn’t feel right. Bring all previous test results, prescriptions, and reports — these provide essential context and prevent unnecessary repetition of tests. Dr. Savaj reviews all prior investigations carefully before offering his assessment.

Does Dr. Savaj treat sexually transmitted infections (STIs)?

Yes. STI management is a core part of infectious disease practice. Dr. Savaj provides confidential assessment and treatment of all STIs including: HIV (testing, PEP, PrEP, ART), hepatitis B, syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, genital herpes, and HPV-related conditions. All consultations are fully confidential. STI testing is also available as part of comprehensive health screening.

What should I bring to my first appointment?

Please bring: any previous blood test reports (particularly CBC, liver function tests, kidney function tests, and any infection-specific tests); a list of all current medications including doses; any imaging reports (ultrasound, CT, chest X-ray); discharge summaries from any recent hospitalisation; and a list of your symptoms with dates of onset. The more information you bring, the more productive your consultation will be. If you have none of these, that is also fine — Dr. Savaj will work with whatever information is available.

Ready to Consult

Book a Consultation with Dr. Pratik Savaj.

No referral letter needed. Walk in, call, or WhatsApp. Dr. Savaj sees all adult patients with infectious disease concerns — from first-time HIV testing to complex diagnostic cases that have seen multiple other physicians. SCID-AI, Nanpura, Surat.

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SCID-AI, Nanpura, Surat — 405 SNS Axis Business Space, Besides Mahavir Hospital, Surat 395001

Mon–Sat: 11 AM–1 PM & 4–6 PM · Sunday: Closed

+91 72839 34807 — Call or WhatsApp

Dr. Pratik Savaj FNB Infectious Diseases
MBBS · DNB Medicine · Fellowship ID
SCID-AI, Surat

Morning11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Evening4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

DaysMonday – Saturday

Phone+91 72839 34807

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