INFOLETTER 15

February 2001

Dear Bone and Joint Decade supporting organisation and friend,
On behalf of the BJD Steering Committee I am pleased to report to you of the latest achievements in regard to the initiative.

Lars Lidgren, Chairman of the Steering Committee

 
Governmental Support

Denmark: The Danish government is officially supporting the Bone and Joint Decade. The Danish Health Minister, Mr Arne Rolighed has signed the Bone and Joint Decade Declaration of Support on February 6, 2001. For more information contact Prof. Ivan Hvid, National coordinator, e-mail: i.hvid@mail.tele.dk.

Nigeria: On December 18, 2000 the Minister of Health, Dr Tim. Menakaya endorsed the policies and objectives of the Bone and Joint Decade on behalf of the Nigerian Government. Members of the Executive Committee of the Association and senior officials of the Ministry attended the ceremony, which was at the instance of the Nigerian Orthopaedic Association. The ceremony was held at the conference room of the federal Ministry of Health. The event received wide media coverage and was televised to the entire nation during the 9 o´clock news. For more information contact Dr F. A. Owosina, National coordinator, e-mail: faowosina@micro.com.ngorfaowosina@yahoo.com.

This means that the BJD has received endorsements from Governments in 31 countries.
 
Declaration from Hong Kong

Hong Kong: Dr E K Yeoh, Secretary for Health & Welfare, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, The People's Republic of China has given his full support to the objectives of the Bone and Joint Decade. Musculoskeletal disorders are one of the most common chronic illnesses in China. This trend is expected to continue in view of the ageing population. For more information contact Dr Chak-sing Lau, National coordinator, e-mail: cslau@hku.hk
 
New National Action Networks

Singapore: A National Network has been formed including the following organizations:
Singapore Radiological Society
Singapore Physiotherapy Association
Singapore Orthopaedic Association
Asian Musculoskeletal Society

The new NAN had its first meeting from 16 - 18 February 2001. The meeting was held in Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore. For more information please contact the National coordinator Dr Hiok Hee Chng, e- mail: Hiok_Hee_Chng@notes.ttsh.gov.sg.

Slovenia: A National Network has been established with the following organizations:
Slovenian Bone Society
Slovenian Orthopaedic Association
Slovenian Section of Rheumatology
Slovenian Society of Trauma Surgeons
Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine

The NAN will have the first meeting on March 16, 2001. For more information please contact the National coordinator Dr Radko Komadina, e-mail:
radko.komadina@guest.arnes.si.

BJD has now officially declared 46 NANs.

 
New member of the International Steering Committee (ISC)

A new member has been elected as of January 1, 2001: Professor Hiroshi YAMAMOTO, Japan, representing spinal disorders.
 
Some of the National Activities

Germany: The official German launch was held on December 11, 2000 in Berlin. The Health Minister Andrea Fischer, MdB led the meeting. During a formal governmental press conference she gave a very strong commitment on behalf of the BJD. Mrs Fischer announced the preparation of a special report on the burden of musculoskeletal diseases in Germany and ongoing support for press and public awareness activities.

Prof. Wolfhart Puhl, National Coordinator, welcomed the governmental support and announced national goals and objectives for the BJD work in Germany. Prof. Lars Lidgren gave a welcome address from the international level. Finally, people suffering from different musculoskeletal conditions and national celebrities expressed their support for the initiative. This event attracted big media attention and coverage on national newspapers, TV and radio.

Canada: The Canadian National Action Network held its 2nd meeting on January 13, 2001 in Toronto, Ontario. The Canadian Network met to review the suggestions and principles that were discussed at the National Coordinators´ Meeting in Oman last November. A strategic plan, governance principles and an action plan for the next 12 - 24 months were discussed and established. The meeting was attended by an impressive turnout of member organizations and was a great success. The next meeting will be held in the summer of 2001. Network Coordinator, Dr. James P. Waddell, e-mail: waddellj@smh.toronto.on.ca

Belgium: On February 6, 2001 the representatives of all the Belgian societies involved in locomotor pathology convened in Brussels. It was decided that a press conference will be held in June, in the presence of Mrs. Magda Aelvoet, Minister of Consumer Interests, Health and Environment, Mr Frank Vandenbroucke, Minister for Social Affairs and Pensions and Mr Guy Verhovstadt, Prime Minister. For more information please contact the National Coordinator Prof. René Verdonk, e-mail: rené.verdonk@rug.ac.be.

Brazil: The number of car accidents increases around the world during the end of the year holidays.With this in mind the Brazilian NAN ran a large lunch time campaign on December 30 called: DRIVER: STAY ALIVE!

The campaign focused on the driver related causes of accidents; use of seat belts, alcohol consumption and driving, high speed, etc.. The National Action Network handed out 100.000 folders to drivers at the most frequent accidents corners of the principal cities of Brazil. This is a small suggestion to other countries.

For more information please contact the National Coordinator Dr Marcos E Musafir, e-mail: mmusafir@uol.com.br.

The Netherlands: The Dutch steering group of the Bone and Joint Decade will present their national action plan for the coming period. The name for this plan is "Nederlands Actieplan voor het Decennium van het Bewegingsapparaat 2000-2010. Betere botten, gezonde gewrichten" Translated: Dutch Actionplan for the Bone and Joints 2000-2010. (Subtitle: Better Bones, better Joints). The title of the symposium is also "For better bones and better joints". The date for this symposium is May 10, 2001. After the symposium Professor Mieke Hazes, the National Coordinator and ISC member, will be officially inaugarated on her new professional position. For more information: hazes@reum.azr.nl

Australia: The National co-ordinator, Professor Peter Brooks, reports that the Australian Launch will be in Melbourne on April 27, 2001 with the Federal Minister of Health, the Hon. Dr. Michael Wooldridge officiating. E-mail to the National co-ordinator, Prof. Peter Brooks, p.brooks@mailbox.uq.edu.au
 
Next NAN meeting

The Annual Bone and Joint Decade Network Meeting 2001 arranged by the US Steering Committee members is planned to be in New York during the last weekend in October, on Saturday - Sunday, 27- 28. However, there is a possibility that it will be moved to the weekend before, due to the hotel situation.

 
Coming events

AAOS is setting up an impressive BJD Program, San Francisco.

eMotion Pictures: An Exhibition of Orthopaedics in Art: The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is celebrating the Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 with a very special art show, eMotion Pictures: An Exhibition of Orthopaedics in Art, held in the Herbst International Exhibition Hall at the San Francisco Presidio. This exhibit will feature artwork created by both orthopaedic patients and orthopaedic surgeons, including well- known guest artists, and will tell the story of the speciality through the lives of people and the physicians who treat them. A gala reception will be held on Thursday, March 1 from 6 to 8 pm at the exhibit hall. For those who are in Frisco go and see it!

BJD Update meeting in San Francisco, Saturday, 3 March 2001, 10:00-11:00 am at Moscone Center, Room 309. Meet and interact with members of the BJD International Steering Committee. Please see the attached information.

The IOC Olympic Prize is awarded in conjunction with the Olympic Games. The next IOC Olympic Prize, a US$ 500,000 cash award, for musculoskeletal research will be awarded during a special presentation ceremony at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, USA, in February 2002. Nomination deadline is April 1, 2001.

The EULAR Standing Committee for Education and Training will organise a Workshop "Developing a Unified Musculoskeletal Undergraduate Curriculum" in Portugal, 23 - 25 March 2001.

The aim of this BJD workshop with participation from different musculoskeletal organisations is to develop a core curriculum for an integrated undergraduate musculoskeletal module that provides priorities, educational areas and minimal standards for an undergraduate programme that will give guidance when developing such a module in European medical schools. The EULAR Standing Committee for Education and Training has produced a document for rheumatology in Europe (Doherty M, Woolf AD Guidelines for rheumatology undergraduate core curriculum. Ann Rheum Dis 1999;58: 133-35). A report of the meeting and the recommendations will be submitted for publication.

This meeting will form part of the Bone and Joint Decade Education Task Force activities to improve education in musculoskeletal conditions. For more information contact Professor Anthony D Woolf, e- mail: woolfa@dialin.net
 
Two major grants

Prof. Lars Lidgren, the chair of the BJD International Steering Committee signed on January 29, 2001 a Grant Agreement entitled European Bone and Joint Health Strategies Project. The Commission will provide Euro 359.730 equivalent to USD 333.722 for a 2 years period. The money is given to the BJD Foundation.

A second grant, has been given Indicators for Monitoring Musculoskeletal Conditions, with Prof. Dag Bruusgaard in Oslo as chairperson, amounting to Euro 373.421 (USD 346.423). The BJD Foundation will act as a subcontractor. Professor Deborah Symmons, UK, has agreed to establish a BJD Resource Center and most of the actual work will be carried out during a two years period at the University of Manchester.
 
The BJD Website - redesigned

As from January 31 the BJD homepage has a new design.

We are now creating links to all of our 750 participating organisations and journals and we ask you to do the same. The Bone and Joint Decade Secretariat Please contact our secretary in Lund, Agneta Jonsson, e-mail: bjd@ort.lu.seifyou have any questions or need any assistance.

The BJD Secretariat reports on an increasing number of organizations declaring their support for the Bone and Joint Decade.
 
Next Infoletter

Will be sent out on April 26, for information to be included, please submit before April 12.
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