Bhubaneswar: Making people aware is the key to fighting Lupus, a little-known disease which mostly afflicts women of child-bearing age, experts said at a rally organised by Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital here on Friday to mark World Lupus Day.
An auto-immune disease, Lupus mimics symptoms of other ailments to confuse the patient and doctor. The patient can be cured provided diagnosis is done properly and treatment provided, the experts opined.
The awareness rally, organised by IMS and SUM Hospital’s Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, began at the Master Canteen square and culminated at Ram Mandir.
Eminent neuro-surgeon and Principal Advisor (Health Sciences) at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) Prof. (Dr) Ashok Kumar Mahapatra and president of Odisha chapter of Indian Rheumatology Society Dr M K Chhotray were among those who participated in the awareness rally.
Appreciating the organisation of the rally, Prof. (Dr) Mahapatra said awareness about the disease and proper treatment could defeat the ailment.
Prof. (Dr) Chhotray said the disease affected different organs of the patient, hence proper diagnosis and treatment are crucial to fight the disease.
Prof. (Dr) Pradipta Sekhar Patro, Head of Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology at IMS and SUM Hospital, said Lupus affected girls and women in the age group of 15 to 50 years, throwing up different symptoms which cause confusion.
SOA Dean (Students’ Welfare) Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, IMS and SUM Hospital Nursing Superintendent Minati Mishra, Deputy General Manager Puspanjali Rout, doctors, nurses and students were part of the awareness rally.
A Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme on Lupus was also organised at IMS and SUM Hospital.
Institute Dean Prof. (Dr) Sanghamitra Mishra, Paediatrics professor and Medical Superintendent in-charge of the hospital Prof. (Dr) Rachita Sarangi, Prof. (Dr) Patro and Associate Professor Dr Rashmiranjan Sahu also spoke on the occasion.
