category Regional, shimla, , tags Regional, shimla, , DW BUREAU shimla The state government is contemplating the formation of a special task force to combat drug menace, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Sunday. Presiding over a ceremony at the Gaiety Theatre here to felicitate the winners of various events organised under Pradhaav - Wipe out drugs campaign, he said that the government also plans to establish two state-of-the-art drug de-addiction-cum-rehabilitation centres. A piece of land spread over about 50 bighas is being identified to set up each centre, he said. Sukhu said that the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act must be made more stringent with a provision that allows authorities to confiscate property of convicted drug dealers. He said the matter has already been taken up with the central government. Sukhu also stressed the need to modernise the police department with the use of modern technologies like artificial intelligence to make it more efficient. The term vitiligo , means loss of colour on the skin, causing loss of pigment and melanin. Every year, June 25 is observed as World Vitiligo Day to increase awareness, build a positive approach and normalize vitiligo. In December 2022, an observation study conducted by the Indian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dermatology found the Indian subcontinent has the highest prevalence of vitiligo in the world, at about 8.8 per cent.This year s theme, Looking into the future , focuses on paving way for technological advancements in treating vitiligo by end of this decade with an observed effort for increasing healthcare facilities across the country to uphold a positive approach towards vitiligo patients, increasing awareness, breaking social stigma and providing right mental health tools for vitiligo patients to live a de-condemned life.According to Dr S Madhuri, Consultant Dermatologist, KIMS ICON Hospital, Vizag, The reason for occurrence of this skin disorder is widely unknown. But, it is observed that severe patterns of stress, neurohumoral factors and autoimmune factors have been some contributing factors. Prolonged consumption of protein and copper minerals by Indians are the other major reasons. About 40 of patients get vitiligo through family history or drug usage. The most common type of vitiligo, vulgaris is found on the lower limbs followed by upper limbs. According to Dr. Ravindra Kumar, Consultant General Physician amp; Diabetologist, Amor Hospital, medication and light-based therapies are the best options to restore the colour of the skin or maybe even out the affected areas. Applying corticosteroid cream to skin might return the colour with no possible side effects.Phototherapy was introduced in India where a narrow band ultraviolet B (UVB) has shown signs to stop vitiligo. Depigmentation therapy is also done for prolonged months to cure vitiligo. Surgery is considered on occasions when the above options don t work. In the surgical procedure, the following techniques are intended to even out the skin tone. Skin grafting, blister grafting and cellular suspension transplant.Talking about the life of patients with vitiligo, Dr. Parveen Sultana, Consultant General Medicine, Century Hospital, said. (editor dailyworld.in)