AWARENESS, EDUCATION & RESEARCH TO COMBAT BONE & JOINT DISORDERS IN THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT
ACTION SUMMARY:
LTM Medical College, Mumbai and Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, amongst the premier medical institutions in India, declared institutional support and organized well attended seminars based on Indian data and scenario relevant to the theme and subject of BJD. Several other CMEs were conducted all over India for the medical fraternity. Well advertised public health education programs in Mumbai - Pune region and the northern reaches of Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir attracted large crowds and media attention. Free of cost camps for Arthritis and deformities were conducted both in urban & rural settings by BJD members to providing diagnosis & therapy guidance- in some instances, medicines and devices, free or at concessional cost, were distributed. Driven by national need for population data in arthritic disorders, osteoporosis & trauma, several research projects were launched- the most notable being 'POPULATION BASED MULTIREGIONAL URBAN SURVEY (2003-2004) FOR RHEUMATIC AND OTHER MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS BASED ON THE WHO-ILAR COPCORD (Community oriented program for control of rheumatic diseases) BHIGWAN MODEL' begun in Northern, Western and Southern regions of India involving several Rheumatologists and Orthopedic Surgeons. The latter will primarily aim to collect prevalence and community data. Impetus to research was further provided and ice broke when BJD-INDIA: NAN and Unichem India, a leading Pharmaceutics Corporate partner, announced 5 short term research fellowship to be awarded annually to young postgraduates engaged in researching musculoskeletal disorders and declared the first set of awards in October 2003. Alarmed by the trauma statistics the Indian NAN committee initiated the preparation of a proposed legislation on compulsory use of helmets which will be handed over to State and Central Government for action.

IMPACT:
	The BJD-INDIA: NAN activities inspired several coverage, interviews and health education articles in the news and TV media.
	National professional organizations, chiefly Indian Orthopedic Association (IOA) and Indian Rheumatology Association (IRA), resolved to include a BJD driven workshop / symposium in their key national and regional meetings.
	Prior to the IRA annual meeting, a 3 hour workshop on ' Infections in Rheumatic and musculoskeletal disorders' will be conducted by a national faculty in the renowned All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, in Nov 2003.
	In July 03, BJD India joined hands with the Indian Osteoporosis Society to brain storm the subject in a special meeting in AIIMS, New Delhi. and finalize a 'white paper' on Indian osteoporosis for use by several organizations- both in the Government and private sector.
	Finally this year the membership of BJD-INDIA : NAN has swelled up to 125 plus. Several associated professional organizations have begun a BJD India membership drive in Sept 2003, using their official journal, magazines and newsletters.
	The 2003 edition of the 'Association of Physicians of India's Textbook of Medicine, extensively read by medical graduates in the country, now carries an invited chapter authored by Dr Arvind Chopra, National Secretary, BJD India-NAN, on the epidemiology of rheumatic & musculoskeletal diseases that also includes description of the BJD.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT:
The key thrust will be on the completion of the population based studies. It is proposed to access the large number of medical colleges and institutions, and other professional organizations and associations, to obtain institutional support and endorsement for the BJD India program. An action plan is being drafted to enhance the current meager segment in the undergraduate medical curriculum that deals with bone and joints in health and disease.

KEY PATIENTS GROUP ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOME:
	Annual convention of BJD India held in India Habitat Center , Delhi, in Oct 2002 discussed osteoporosis with the community, health workers, social organizations and medical fraternity at large.
	MAI (Mission Arthritis India) a patient support group and a support component of BJD-INDIA: NAN enhanced their reach, largely in the western India, to spread the BJD message.
	A quarterly publication is being regularly distributed free of cost to 700 members.
	A special 86 page attractive issue to commemorate the third BJD-MAI activity week anniversary has been released in October 2003. MAI has targeted a circulation of over 3000.More than 6 National Pharmaceutical Industries have expressed their keenness to sponsor large scale publication of this special issue under the auspices of BJD-INDIA - MAI combine and distribute it to the masses free of cost.
	Throughout the year the news media has published several health related articles and interviews.

KEY INTERACTIONS WITH ISC, OTHER NANS, REGIONAL GROUPS, GOVERNMENTS:
	Dept. of Scientific and Industrial (DSIR) Research, Government of India, has cleared the recognition to BJD-INDIA as Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (SIRO). This is an endorsement of the BJD India research programs and will provide major tax exemptions on research donations.
	Prof. Dinesh Mohan, Co-ordinator, BJD-INDIA: NAN has been chosen to participate in 'Road traffic injury prevention measures a focus of the first global 24hr e-Lecture conference on musculoskeletal disorders'.
	Several regional groups engaged in Social community cause and research have begun to interact with BJD-INDIA: NAN to set up collaborative work. It is proposed to pursue this program vigorously in 2004.

KEY DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR 2004
	To complete collection and collation of data from the ongoing BJD-INDIA sponsored national scale research programs
	To submit an official report to the Government of India on the existing Indian scenario for bone and joint disorders
	Access and obtain endorsement and a CME platform from at least 4 major medical colleges/institutions.
	Help Mission Arthritis India expand its operation in other parts of India.
	To take up legislative issues concerning road trauma, quack medical practices, spurious and adulterated drugs with the concerned governing bodies.
	To initiate a dialogue with the Medical Council of India to change the medical curriculum in respect to bone & joint disorders.