Bengaluru, February 19, 2024: In a momentous occasion, Dr. Vykunta Raju K. N., Professor and Head of the Department at Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, has been honored with the Outstanding Contribution Award for Child Neurology by the Association of Child Neurology, India (AOCN). Dr. Raju, with over 15 years of dedicated service in pediatric neurology, has played a pivotal role in the diagnosis and management of rare and neurological disorders.
The accolade comes as recognition for Dr. Vykunta Raju’s tireless efforts in advancing the understanding and treatment of rare diseases, particularly in pediatric neurology. Despite the challenges faced in the field, he remains committed to improving the lives of children and families affected by these disorders. Dr. Raju has published over 200 publications focusing on original reviews and case reports on rare disorders to enhance awareness, understanding prevalence, and studying epidemiological factors in the Indian population.
While expressing his happiness for the award recognition, Dr Raju, said, “I am feeling happy to receive this award. I have been working in pediatric neurology for the past 15 years, and we have done a lot of work. Though the recognition has come a little late, I still feel very happy on getting recognized for the work I have contributed. In pediatric neurology, you will be managing a lot of rare disorders, most of the time. In earlier days, these rare diseases were neglected and treated as cerebral palsy. But now, with improvement in genetics, we are able to diagnose these disorders. Arriving at the right diagnosis was a huge challenge in the earlier days. Compared to that, diagnosis is easier, but getting proper treatment is still an issue. Treatment is not available for many disorders; and even if it is available, the cost of the medicines is very high. So, most of our patients are unable to afford these treatments.”
Speaking on Rare Disease Awareness Month (February), Dr. Raju highlighted the importance of accurate diagnosis and the need for FDA-approved treatments, addressing the difficulties faced by patients, particularly in accessing expensive medications for some disorders like Spinal Muscular Atrophy. In most of the countries, these medications are made available mostly by Government funding. So, if it’s made available in India also, it will benefit both the children and their families.
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