Chennai sources reported that to provide relief to the patients suffering from rare diseases in Tamilnadu, a Centre of Excellence for rare disorders (CERD) has been launched at Voluntary Health Services (VHS). The CERD has been launched to provide comprehensive health care services to rare disease patients to support the department of maternal and child health of VHS. Meanwhile Dr J. Radhakrishnan, health secretary of Tamilnadu launched the centre, actor Karthi Sivakumar, Dr S Suresh, secretary, VHS and Dr Sujatha Jagadeesh, head of the department of clinical genetics, Mediscan were also present at the event.
Moreover the centre will provide the treatment for rare diseases, give supportive treatment, monitor the patients' conditions regularly and also provide rehabilitation services. Accordingly “The centre would create awareness on birth defects and disorders, but also provide timely access to patients who need diagnosis, intervention and treatment for these diseases”.
Further Dr. Sujatha Jagadeesh said "With the
lack of such a facility, a majority of the patients were at a loss as to how to
cope with these critical conditions they are born with. Presently with
the launch of this centre, patients can undergo timely treatment which would
improve their quality of life.