Varanasi: Professor Shyam Sundar Agrawal of Banaras Hindu University (BHU), recognised for his pioneering work in kala-azar treatment, has been announced as a recipient of the Padma Shri award. Expressing gratitude to the Government of India, Professor Agrawal attributed this honour to his 38 years of relentless effort in the field.
Among the Padma awards announced on the eve of Republic Day, two BHU professors were included, with Professor Agrawal acknowledged for his significant contributions to kala-azar therapy. He developed a single-dose lipid-based liposomal Amphotericin-B treatment, which has been endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and integrated into India’s kala-azar control programme.
Professor Agrawal also successfully conducted trials for multi-drug therapy for kala-azar, combining Paromomycin and Miltefosine, a regimen now implemented at primary health centres. He is credited with initiating the first trials of the RK-39 strip test for diagnosis and contributing to the development of effective drugs like Miltefosine.
Speaking about his journey, Professor Agrawal said, “I do not consider myself unique, just an ordinary person from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, where kala-azar was rampant. Millions suffered and thousands died, many unable to afford proper diagnosis which took weeks and was expensive. In the 1980s, diagnosis alone cost between 400 to 500 rupees.”
TrendingHe added, “I felt compelled to contribute to this field. We developed a test that I personally validated. For the first time globally, we demonstrated that kala-azar diagnosis, which earlier took weeks or months, could be done within ten minutes. This was a crucial breakthrough.”
Professor Agrawal recalled the challenges with kala-azar medicines, stating that only about 35 to 36 patients out of 100 responded well, while 12 to 15 died. The medicines then had lost effectiveness. Around 1990, the government launched a kala-azar control programme which initially failed. He was part of the meetings that reviewed and changed the treatment approach.
He further explained, “Significant research followed, and in 2002, I led a major study involving nearly 300 patients that showed 94 percent accuracy. However, the medicine had to be taken orally for a month, which posed its own challenges. My experience in this field spans nearly 38 years.”
Professor Agrawal’s work has played a vital role in transforming kala-azar diagnosis and treatment, impacting public health efforts significantly.