Proper diagnosis, timely treatment can cure Lupus: Expert

Awareness about Lupus, an auto-immune disease which mostly afflicted women of child bearing age, is the key to battle the disease.

To spread this message, a rally was taken out here by the Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology of the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, faculty of medicine of SOA Deemed to be University, on Saturday to mark the World Lupus Day.

The rally in which doctors, nurses, students and medical professionals took part proceeded from the busy Master Canteen square up to Ram Mandir. It was also attended by the local MLA Mr. Babu Singh.

Praising the hospital’s initiative, Mr. Singh said spreading awareness was the key to defeat the disease.

The disease mimicked the symptoms of many other ailments which confuses both the patient and the treating physician, Prof. (Dr.) Pradipta Sekhar Patro, Head of the Department of Immunology and Rheumatology of the hospital, said.

If the prognosis is done properly and timely treatment is provided, the patient can be cured, Prof. (Dr.) Patro said adding it all depended on correct diagnosis, medical tests and treatment.

Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare) of SOA and Ms. Minati Mishra, Nursing Superintendent, also attended the rally.

Later in the day, a Continuing Medical Education (CME) program was organised in the hospital which was attended by Dr. Sanghamitra Pati, Additional Director General of ICMR and Director of ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar. Dr. Pati said the need was to make the people aware about Lupus while research into the disease was on.

The CME was also attended by Prof. (Dr.) Sanghamitra Mishra, Dean of IMS and SUM Hospital, who spoke on the theme for the day this year—‘Put on Purple, Make Lupus Visible’.

Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Kumar Mahapatra, SOA’s Principal Advisor (Health Sciences) and Prof. (Dr.) Pusparaj Samantasinghar, Medical Superintendent, also addressed the gathering.