PUDUKKOTTAI: Beneath the hush of a remote village in Pudukkottai, a team of youngsters stays equipped with skincare ointments and medicines in hand, ever ready to volunteer for a cause. Led by a 45-year-old doctor, a deep sense of empathy fills their eyes as they give away the prescribed remedies to the ones in need, taking no money in return. For them, healing the pain is important, but treating the cause, indispensable.
From responding to the contaminated water crisis in Vengaivayal to holding awareness campaigns themed around Gaza, dermatologist Dr S Dhetchanamoorthy has turned medicine into a medium for social awakening. Over the past two decades, this Pudukkottai-based doctor has conducted over 50 medical camps across Tamil Nadu, providing dermatology consultations and medicines free of cost to those who cannot afford private care. Unlike routine outreach programmes, each of his camps carries a larger social message that ties healthcare to empathy, equality and civic awareness. “Medicine can heal the skin, but awareness heals society. When people understand the cause of their problems, they start demanding accountability and change,” he says.
Dhetchanamoorthy’s journey began in Aranthangi, where his father worked as a carpenter. As a government school student, the access to public education shaped his sense of purpose and equity. “Education gave me direction when everything else was uncertain,” he recalls. In 2005, along with his school batchmates, Dhetchanamoorthy founded Thisaigal (directions), a youth group that began as a student support forum and gradually evolved into a civic movement promoting equality, scientific temper and women empowerment. Over the years, it has expanded itself to merge health, education and social justice into one sustained effort.
After he graduated from Thanjavur Medical College, Dhetchanamoorthy has held onto an activism reflecting a worldview — every crisis, local or global, deserves empathy and understanding. Keeping this ideal close to his heart, he launched the ‘Heal for Gaza’ campaign, during the Israel–Gaza conflict, to express solidarity with civilians affected by war.
In Pudukkottai, this dermatologist has so far organised numerous health camps addressing caste-based discrimination and campaigns seeking laws against honour killings. His team has also conducted outreach programmes among fishing communities, which were affected by the Ennore oil leak. “The moment we heard about the Vengaivayal issue, we stepped in and conducted camps to detect any skin-related issues. Health is not just a hospital matter. It is a reflection of how we treat our environment, and society.” the doctor opines.
Each camp begins with a short talk connecting the issue of the day to broader lessons on compassion and equality. The events typically provide free consultations and medicines worth Rs 300– Rs 400 per patient, alongside discussions on preventive care. In several interior villages, where dermatology remains inaccessible, these camps ensures treatment. His volunteers now coordinate camps, distribute awareness materials and document field activities. Even a single leaflet or discussion, he says, can trigger meaningful social change.
Beyond his medical work, Dhetchanamoorthy believes in building what he calls “a culture of informed citizens”. He often worries that young people are losing their links to genuine inspiration, and are drawn instead to illusions created by cinema stardom and social media fame. In recent years, he extended his outreach, responding to communities affected by floods, industrial accidents and environmental disasters. His campaigns combine relief with education, aiming to explain why such crises recur and how prevention is possible. “Wherever people are in distress, we try to reach with both aid and awareness,” he says.
In 2022, Dhetchanamoorthy turned an author with ‘Corona Kalachuvadu’, a Tamil book documenting the social, scientific and emotional impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Penned during the lockdowns, the book captures the voices of doctors and ordinary citizens navigating fear, misinformation and isolation. Later translated into English, it analyses how science, politics and society intersected during one of the most challenging periods in modern history.
From distributing ointments in remote villages to sparking discussions on global humanitarian crises, Dhetchanamoorthy continues to bridge medicine and social conscience. His work reflects a belief that every issue is a reminder of shared vulnerability and collective responsibility.
(Edited by Arya AJ)