After successfully treating Lymphatic Filariasis patients in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh through its sub-centres at Varanasi, Lucknow, Patna, and Begusarai in the last two years, the Institute of Applied Dermatology (IAD) in Kasaragod, Kerala has now opened a new treatment centre at Rajahmundry for offering surgery-free integrated treatment for lymphedema and lymphatic filariasis.
The new centre at Rajahmundry has a team of well-experienced doctors, nurses, and supporting staff to offer world-class integrated treatment for lymphedema and lymphatic filariasis patients in the city situated on the eastern banks of the Godavari River.
Professor Claire Fuller, Chair of the International Foundation of Dermatology and Consultant Dermatologist in NHS, Westminster, London, UK, and former Chair of the Skin NTD group, World Health Organisation (WHO), officially launched the new centre on May 1, 2025.
The Institute of Applied Dermatology, a not-for-profit institute established in 1999, is the world’s first to scientifically develop an integrated treatment protocol combining modern medicine with Ayurveda, yoga, and diet to treat the most debilitating and neglected tropical disease – Lymphatic Filariasis that affects millions of people worldwide.
The treatment protocol, published in the most reputed British Journal of Dermatology (BJD), has been adopted by the Union Ministry of AYUSH as a public health programme.
“We decided to open a treatment centre at Rajahmundry considering the large number of lymphatic filariasis patients in the region. Though we have been receiving a large number of patients at our main centre in Kasaragod from Rajahmundry, they complain about the difficulties in travelling to Kasaragod for treatment. So, we decided to reach out to them by opening the treatment centre,” said IAD founder director Dr S R Narahari, who put in years of scientific research under the guidance of his mentor emeritus professor of dermatology Dr Terence J Ryan of Oxford University, United Kingdom for developing the integrated treatment.
“For the last few years, we have been working with the Ministry of AYUSH, Governments of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to treat lymphatic filariasis in these states. We will be coordinating with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to offer our integrated treatment to lymphatic filariasis patients,” Dr Narahari added.
