Kathmandu, Sept 23: A regional conference on rheumatology is scheduled for September 27-28.
The conference to be organised by Nepal Rheumatology Association aims to increase public awareness about rheumatic diseases, latest technology available for its treatment, challenges for it, discussing about its situation in the South Asia.
Fifty rheumatologists from Nepal, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Bangladesh and some 124 doctors and health professionals from Nepal are taking part in the regional event to be held for the first time in the country. The conference will issue a ‘Kathmandu Declaration’ as well.
Association’s executive committee member and rheumatologist Dr Shweta Nakarmi shared that the participants are scheduled to present paper on the treatment of arthritis.
She informed that 10 per cent to the country’s population i.e. around 3 million people suffer from various types of arthritis while there were only about 30 arthritis specialists in Nepal which is disproportionately less compared to the number of patients.
Of the total arthritis patients recorded in the country, only 15 per cent of them had access to its treatment and around 70 per cent of the medicating arthritis patients leave their medication half way, Dr Nakarmi informed.
Children in Nepal were mostly suffering from arthritis related to joints.
The symptoms of arthritis are fatigue, joint pain, joint swelling and joint stiffness among others.
