As many as 150 million Indians, who comprise about 15 percent of the country's population, suffer from the crippling disease arthritis, according to latest reports by doctors. This figure was projected at the Madras Institute Of Trauma in the meeting held in conjunction with World Arthrirtis Day.
A two-day exhibition called 'Freedom of Movement' is also being conducted to create awareness on handling this crippling disability. Surprisingly, arthritis is found to affect people in their prime, between 20 years and 45 years. The exhibition is seen as an education for the patients who have been apprised of different operations, massages and therapies to cure the disease."The fact that 15 percent of the Indian population suffers from this crippling disease is alarming and arthritis deserves immediate attention," said P.V.A Mohandas, managing director of the institute.
"In India, the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis is little less than in the West but degenerative arthritis which affects the knee is more prevalent in the country with every third person above the age of 70 years affected," he said.
The success of the program would depend on active participation form the patients and members of the scientific community. Increasing the awareness about the disease and educating patients on the various treatment options available would indeed go a long way in the treatment of this severe disabling disease.
Indo-Asian News Service
