This is an article I am writing for increasing the awareness of bone and joint disorders among the public and the medical community alike.I hope you find it useful
World Health Organisation [WHO] endorsed the launch of “Bone and Joint Decade [BJD]- 2000 to 2010” in Geneva in January 2000. The key goal is “to keep the people moving by prevention and treatment of bone and joint problems. This will in turn reduce the cost and the burden to the individuals, the carers and the society at large”.
BJD-India duly followed with National Action Network launched from Pune by eminent doctors. This was endorsed by the Government of India. As we are on the verge of this decade behind us, it is time for us to reflect and hence this article.
Arthritis affecting a joint such as knee and hips are very common in India. Every other person over the age of 65 in India is affected with arthritis. Unfortunately the treatment is not sought or often delayed.
The road traffic accidents are not only common, but also results in severely injured people. The deaths are frequent and multiple numbers of people are involved in the same accident. This is reflected in the Official statistics of the department of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India.
Unfortunately such affections of the bone and joints leave people with physical disability. The patients become dependent on the family and the society adding to the mental suffering. Some of the patients are left crippled due this pain. The true extent of their suffering is revealed in the limitation of their activities of daily living let alone their limitations in the society.
When one is not able to do even routine activities such as walking, secondary health problems arise. These include sedentary lives, increasing obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart diseases. WHO recognised this growing trend in the society often leaving a financial burden.
Diet and exercise play important role in the health of our bone and joints as much as for our heart. Yet our life style had become sedentary. Increasing incidence of overweight and obesity has aggravated the bone and joint problem such as arthritis. Specific remedies for certain arthritis such as Rheumatoid are not sought. These lead to crippling deformities and disabilities. On the other hand, there is misuse of pain killers leading to other problems such as kidney failure.
Wearing a seat belt is the most effective way to prevent injuries when travelling in a car or a bus. Yet many of us remove the seat belts or consider it a hindrance to wear. Traffic rules and restrictions are rarely followed resulting in serious and disabling injuries.
“A painful advanced arthritic joint can be cured with a joint replacement” is a well known fact to many in a Western country such as UK. However people in our villages are left suffering due to the lack of awareness. This lack of awareness is present even in educated persons living in cosmopolitan cities.
With this launch of Bone and Joint Decade, WHO highlighted the need for the improvement in the diagnosis and treatment of such disorders. WHO encouraged prevention through education campaigns. Ten years on since the Bone and Joint Decade launch by the WHO, the real question had there been an any improvement at all ?
In spite of all being written early in this article, there is certainly more awareness created by this WHO initiative. The government of India through its participation in this Bone and Joint Decade has shown its commitment in prevention and treatment of these disabling conditions.
Government Welfare schemes helping them finance the treatment ensures that poor are not left alone in this treatment reach. One has to mention one such scheme for the people below the poverty line at this juncture which has benefited and continues to a huge number of financially disadvantaged section of our society.
More people are seeking treatment rather than neglecting these ailments. They are asking for the accurate diagnosis as much as the treatment itself. This is especially facilitated when they see others benefited due to the treatment options such as joint replacements. People have started to recognise the fact that “Early and appropriate treatment of injuries prevents long term disability”. Technological advances such as key hole treatment of joint problems with arthroscopy are now known.
Every year many hospitals follow the activity week to focus their year long efforts to the public in October[ 12th to 20th of October of 2010 for this year]. Many hospitals and doctors are conducting free camps to facilitate such an awareness. Their efforts should be lauded with reverence for the public service.
There is certainly a larger section of our public where the awareness has not reached as we still see a significant number of disabled people due to the bone and joint problems. Hence more concerted efforts should be done from the community in general and the medical community in particular.
Education in road traffic accident prevention should reach the “prospective road users” namely our children. Public awareness campaigns should increase in number and reach the inner villages. Medical schools should increase the training given to the doctors in dealing with bone and joint problems. There is a need for the entire community to celebrate this bone and joint week in October.
May I conclude this article saying that “Let the end of the Bone and joint Decade -2000-2010 herald a new beginning in spreading awareness of the increasing number of Bone and Joint problems. These are either preventable and when affected, many of them are certainly curable”
Dr S Chockalingam
Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon
KMC and KMC Speciality Hospitals,
Trichy
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