Media Release

Udupi, Jun 30: Vitiligo Ratha (Thonnu Ratha) for Vitiligo Awareness Campaign was flagged off at Manipal by Dr Padmaraj Hegde Deputy medical superintendent. Dr Shruthakeerti Shenoy professor and unit head, department of Dermatotlogy - Kasturba Hospital Manipal flagged off the Vitiligo Ratha from the main gate of Kasturba Hospital Manipal. Dr Padmaraj Hegde also released the information brochure on Vitiligo on the occasion.

Dr Shruthakeerti Shenoy in her addressal said, “Vitiligo is a non-life-threatening skin-related problem which presents itself as white patches on the skin."

Vitiligo Ratha will travel all across the district of Karnataka to raise awareness and to eliminate any myth or disinformation among the general public on vitiligo.

This was the initiative of the Karnataka branch of Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL KN) who formed the Vitiligo information awareness campaign on World Vitiligo Day on June 25. Kasturba Hospital was privileged to support this initiative.

“Vitiligo is a non contagious skin condition which does not cause any serious damage to the patient and it is just a change in the color of the skin," Dr Smitha Prabhu associate professor department of Dermatology added.

Dr Varsha Shetty associate professor department of Dermatology coordinated the Tonnu Ratha Flag Off programme.