SKIN HEALTH SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY GLOBAL
SINGAPORE
By IFAB MEDIA - NEWS BUREAU - July 5, 2023 | 92 7 minutes read
Laureates unveiled at fourth edition of the International Awards for Social Responsibility in Dermatology 2023.
L’Oréal, in partnership with the International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS) and the World Congress of Dermatology (WCD) today unveiled the winners of the fourth edition of the International Awards for Social Responsibility in Dermatology. The awards recognize dermatologists leading high-impact projects in three categories: prevention and education on skin health; improved quality of life and self-esteem for people facing skin issues; and access to care coverage and surgery.
The five laureates of the 2023 edition one from each ILDS geographic region, were selected from 193 applications from 66 countries by an independent scientific committee of five dermatologists and ILDS board members. Each winning project is awarded a €20,000 grant to fund its continuation.
“Access to skin health should be an inherent human right. Our winning dermatologists have dedicated their time and paved the way to make this dream a reality,” said Myriam Cohen-Welgryn, Worldwide President of L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty. “Expanding access to dermatological care, empowering individuals with knowledge, and serving areas of high unmet needs will contribute to improved skin health for many individuals all over the world, not just in towns and cities.”
Professor Roy Chan, President of the WCDsaid, "The work of dermatologists often goes unrecognized yet dermatologists play a vital role in maintaining not only physical health, but also the mental health of the population. We do this through preventative education and expert care of common as well as rare and neglected skin diseases.”
“Our partnership with L’Oréal allows us to celebrate talented and caring dermatologists who are leading by example through people-centric care and educational initiatives,” said Professor Lars French, President of ILDS.
The dermatologists awarded during the World Congress of Dermatology in Singapore on 3 July are:
NORTH AMERICA
Dr. Louise Kaufmann, United States of America
Providing access to dermatological care in rural and underserved areas of Jamaica
Launched in 2016 in cooperation with the LJDR Davis Foundation initiative, the projectprovides free dermatological services to people in rural Jamaica who have never had access to a dermatologist.In the four years since the Dermatology Clinic’s opening, 1,200+ people have benefitted from free dermatological care. The grant will be used to extend the program by educating healthcare professionals, expanding healthcare personnel in the Dermatology Clinic, and helping the community access clean, running water.
SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA
Dr. Adriana Raquel Cruz Aconcha, Colombia
Going beyond skin in Colombian pacific coast rural areas
Colombia ranks seventh among the world’s most unequal countries according to the World Bank, which has serious implications to accessing dermatological care, especially in rural areas. The MISIÓN PAÍS team travels to distant Pacific Coast territories and has treated over 180 patients suffering from skin issues like scabies, impetigo and atopic dermatitis. The grant will be used to enhance skin health services, increase visits to rural communities and develop Scabies Mass Treatment programs through education, improved patient documentation and telemedicine.
EUROPE
Dr. Nathalie Sultan, France
Sun prevention in schools
Reunion Island experiences high levels of UV radiation and has seen skin cancer cases increase. Mission Soleil Réunion (MiSolRé) aims to change student behavior around sun exposure through sun prevention programs, teacher training and the distribution of sun protection products. MiSolRé also works to raise awareness in pre-schools and encourage municipalities to invest in shaded areas. Over 15,000 students have been reached since the campaign’s launch. The grant will be used to extend the group’s efforts to include nursery schools, train general practitioners in skin cancer screening and help workers exposed to UV radiation.
AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST
Prof. Wendemagegn Enbiale Yeshaneh, Ethiopia
mproving access to services for podoconiosis and cutaneous leishmaniasis patients in Amhara region
NaPAN aims to provide medical care to Ethiopians with skin Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) – in particular, podoconiosis and cutaneous leishmaniasis. Podoconiosis, which affects 1.5 million Ethiopians, is non-infectious leg swelling caused by long-term exposure of bare feet to irritant soils. Leishmaniosis is a parasitic disease that impacts skin and internal organs. NaPAN raises community awareness, trains health professionals and provides disease management and disability prevention (MMDP) within the affected communities, resulting in more than 300,000 patients having accessed MMDP services. The grant will be used to expand access to treatment for podoconiosis patients with massive nodules by training healthcare professionals in highly endemic areas, and exploring the feasibility of decentralizing cryotherapy treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis.
ASIA PACIFIC
Dr. Marlous Grijsen, Indonesia
Improving access to skin care through teledermatology in Eastern Indonesia
Indonesia’s Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) launched a teledermatology service, in a remote and economically underdeveloped island with a high burden of skin diseases. Since its launch, the platform has trained and supported 30 health workers, with the intent to treat over 600 patients with a broad range of common and neglected skin diseases. Around 8,000-10,000 patients who presented with skin diseases have since benefitted from the initiative.The grant will be used for continuous education and training on common and neglected skin diseases, strengthening quality of care for people, and increasing local capacity to deliver multidisciplinary healthcare services.