Former principal of Gauhati Medical College and noted dermatologist Dr KN Barua has been awarded the Life Time Achievement Award 2018.
The Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists conferred the honour upon Dr Barua at their annual conference held at Kochi from January 18 to 21.
He is currently serving as the Chief Consultant at Dr KN Barua Institute of Dermatological Sciences, Guwahati and is the first dermatologist from the northeast to be given this award.
Dr Barua started treating severe skin conditions like pemphigus in Assam in the early eighties with a new method called DCP which is now the most wide spread method of treatment for many severe skin conditions.
Dr Barua along with many other doctors and thousands of leprosy workers, worked hard towards the success of the leprosy eradication programme in India a success. He is also one of the few doctors in who introduced dermatology surgical procedures in India.
He conducted several surveys among the beggars and school children infested with leprosy in greater Guwahati in the eighties. He relentlessly worked for eradicating leprosy in areas such as Diphu, Kuthori (Nagaon) and Nalbari.