The Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010, Ten years on........

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

health awareness activities at Trichy

I am adding some of the articles written in press and some of the photos of the health awareness activities done at Trichy with KMC speciality and KMC hospitals.

Orthopaedic problems of bones and joints are many and we took on only four issues last year at KMC Speciality Hospital named by WHO bone and Joint Decade. they are 1. osteoporosis 2. arthritis 3. road traffic accidents 4. back and neck problems.

We have done Meet our Patients Meet where the press and the public could freely interact with our patients benefited from advanced ortho care treatment at KMC and KMC speciality hospitals.

We have done Bone and Joint Walk to raise awareness on Bone and joint problems as listed above.

We have given awareness talks to senior citizens who are pensioners in a standard format.

We have done first aid program to traffic personnel twice in the last two year to raise awareness on road traffic accidents 2. we have done many free orthopaedic consultations starting in march 2009 at KMC Speciality hospital both as camps and regular free clinics on Fridays for patients who cannot afford to attend a hospital such as ours. These have mainly targeted arthritic patients though osteoporosis and back problems have been covered.

We have done two ATLS type courses named Essentials of Initial Trauma Management at KMC Hospital for doctors sponsored entirely by KMC Hospital and all the consultants have gifted their time and efforts to teach the fundamental principles in trauma management.

I will elaborate all our activities in the next blog and list them and post more articles.

Regards

Chockalingam

BONE AND JOINT WALK TRICHY

Dear Everyone, we conducted successfully the first ever bone and joint walk in Trichy. it was well covered by newspapers locally and in The Hindu and The New Indian Express. first let me share some photos through our web site. further to my previous blog on bone and joint awareness problems in India. we focused our efforts to improve among the general public.

The bone and joint walk is essentially an effort to group people who had benefitted by bone and joint surgery and primarily joint replacements. this is based on the model we use regularly in UK called Hip and Knee walk. this shows that patients can function especially normal walking which is what had been missing in their day to day life. we take for granted walking is possible for everyone. but then when u see these arthritic patients who are unable to walk even indoors ,u realize that how lucky we are.

to be able to give that ability to walk without pain is why we go further to bring complex and yet successful treatment like knee and hip replacements to patients. when u are able to do for people in Trichy where i had studied and able to provide the treatment for patients from your native place and surrounding villages, it gives satisfaction. is it not the reason why chose Medicine as my career. to be able to help other people.

Bone and Joint Decade and BJD week 2010

Welcome everyone and posting after a long time.
2000 to 2010 had been the bone and joint decade as recognized by the WHO. it was to improve the awareness of the musculoskeletal disorders widely. this was endorsed by many countries including India. Pune Declaration showed the commitment from India. The october second week is the bone and joint week and for this year it is 12th to 20th of october.

please remember the major Bone and joint problems we are facing are road traffic accidents, osteoporosis, spine disorders and arthritis.