New avenues of treating ECZEMA now available: Expert

The incidence of eczema, a type of dermatitis, has nearly doubled from 4 per cent to 7.5 per cent across the world in the last 20 years, but availability of new medicines and new avenues of treatment have come as a big relief, Dr. Sandipan Dhar, renowned dermatologist, said on Saturday.

“Eczema can be cured with new medicines and new methods but it takes time. There is need for spreading awareness about it,” Dr. Dhar, who is President of the Society for Eczema Studies (SES), said while speaking at the inauguration of the two-day ‘National Update 2023’ program which began at the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital here.

As new research was on to treat eczema, it was necessary to create awareness among dermatologists and the general public for which the National Update program was being organised, he said.

Dermatologists need to be properly trained about the treatment methods and emergence of new medicines in the world for which SES had been set up, Dr. Dhar said.

Prof. (Dr.) Prasenjeet Mohanty, Head of Department of Dermatology at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, who addressed the program, said the SES was spreading awareness about new diagnosis and treatment methods.

Prof. (Dr.) Ajay Kumar Jena, Additional Dean, IMS and SUM Hospital, Prof. (Dr.) Pusparaj Samantasinhar, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Prof. (Dr) Bikash Ranjan Kar, Head of Department of Dermatology and Dr. Maitreyee Panda, Professors in the department, also spoke.