Countrywide Awareness Drive Against Steroid Based Skin Ointments

Bhubaneswar: A van traversing through 18 states to create awareness about skin diseases and advising people against using steroid-based medicines rolled into the capital city as part of a nationwide campaign on Thursday.

The ‘Skin Safar Rath’, a public awareness initiative of the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL), which embarked on a national tour from New Delhi on December 21 last, has been urging people through video displays to desist from using ointments containing steroids saying it was extremely harmful.

“People must realize that the cream they buy across the counter is not going to help them. They may get immediate relief, but in the long run it would make their condition worse,” Prof. Bikash Ranjan Kar, Head of the department of Dermatology and Venereal Diseases at IMS and SUM Hospital and President of Odisha chapter of IADVL, said.

IADVL’s theme for this year is ‘Stopping Topical Steroid Abuse’, he said adding the van would be traversing through 11,000 km before reaching New Delhi.

“Irrational and inadvertent use of steroid creams for fairness as well as common skin diseases is harmful. It is wise to consult a qualified doctor for any skin related ailments before resorting to self-medication,” Dr. Maitreyee Panda, Associate Professor in the department of DVD, said.

Dr. Bhabani Singh, city coordinator of the event, also counseled the assembled people about the ill-effects of inadvertent use of steroid bases drugs. Dr. Pushparaj Samantasinhar, Medical Superintendent of IMS and SUM Hospital, Dr. Ajay Kumar Jena and Dr. Subhranshu Sekhar Pattnaik, General Secretary of Odisha chapter of IADVL were present to flag off the van. The vehicle also stopped at the Hi-Tech Medical College, KIMS and AIIMS before departing for Jharkhand.