Lupus warriors walk ramp at KIMS

Metro India News | Hyderabad

Marking International Lupus Day, KIMS Hospitals organised a unique ramp walk featuring lupus warriors on Monday to spread awareness about Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), a chronic autoimmune disease. Around 40 lupus patients participated in the event, while nearly 100 family members and healthcare professionals from across the city attended the programme. Doctors said this was the fifth such lupus ramp walk initiative in Asia.

The event was conceptualised by Dr. Veeravalli Sarath Chandra Mouli to empower patients and remove the stigma surrounding lupus. He said awareness about the disease remains low and delayed diagnosis often results in serious complications. “Out of the 100 to 120 patients we see daily, around 20 to 25 suffer from lupus,” he said.

Doctors explained that lupus is a long-term autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks healthy tissues, affecting organs such as the skin, joints, kidneys, lungs, heart, brain and blood. Common symptoms include fatigue, fever, hair loss, skin rashes, mouth ulcers and joint pain. Severe cases may lead to kidney damage, neurological issues and recurrent miscarriages.

Dr. Mouli said nearly 90 per cent of lupus patients are women aged between 15 and 45 years. He also highlighted the shortage of rheumatologists in India, stating that while the country requires nearly 20,000 specialists, only around 800 are currently available.