Indian Orthopaedic Association (IOA) is observing NATIONAL BONE & JOINT DAY on 4th August every year.

We promote the week August 1to7 as bone and joint week. We select a medical theme every year and promote awareness about that health topic to the public in the week. This is done in Tamilnadu by state chapters like Tamilnadu Orthopaedic Association (TNOA) and various district forums like Coimbatore Orthopaedic Society (COS).The health awareness is done by various programs: lectures, demonstration public talks, rallies, audio-visual aids, banners, posters etc in many public forums.

This year the theme is giving first aid and saving victim of road traffic accident by Cardio pulmonary resuscitation CPR. India ranks number one in the world in road accidents. Every year approximately 1.5 lakh die and 4.5lakh get injured in the accidents.

The motto is each one save one. Each one of us should know how to help a patient who is critically injured lying in the road. A patient who is about to die can be saved by CPR. A critically injured victim will die if brain does not receive blood/ oxygen for 3to5 minutes.CPR is done when in an injured patient heart and lungs stop working, with no pulse and no respiration.

Cardio pulmonary resuscitation is to
1. Restart the heart beat which has stopped due to various reasons after accident.
2. Improve oxygen flow to brain and restart its function, so that
3. Lungs can start function again; patient can breathe on his/her own

Once patient pulse and breathing gets restored, he/she should be shifted in ambulance to nearby hospital.

In this week, we also promote bone health awareness. The bone health can be improved by regular physical exercises, adequate calcium and vitamin D in the diet, sunlight exposure, avoiding alcohol and sedentary life style. People are encouraged to take calcium rich diet like milk and milk products, various greens/spinach, ragi, fish, sea based foods and maintain an active life style.

Dr.Major.K. Kamalanathan – President, Coimbatore orthopedic society
Dr. BRJ Satish Kumar – Secretary, Coimbatore orthopedic society