Bhubaneswar: With an aim to provide specialised care for people suffering from arthritis and various immunological disorders like SLE, Scleroderma etc, a rheumatology special clinic has been started under the department of General Medicine at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar.
The clinic is run by a team of doctors led by Dr Anupam Dey, Head of the department of General Medicine. It is functional every Friday from 2 pm to 5 pm.
“Musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent in 15%–20% of the Indian population. Arthritis affects more than 180 million people in India. It is estimated that almost 10 lakh people in India suffer from rheumatoid arthritis which is a painful condition. Rheumatological diseases can affect all age groups and require prolonged therapy because of their chronic nature and relapsing course,” said Dr Anupam Dey.
“The rheumatology clinic at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar will boost the care of arthritis patients and those suffering from various autoimmune conditions. Day care services will be provided to patients requiring injectable Biological/Immunosuppressant medications. Patient education and counselling will also be done,” said Dr Dey
A public awareness campaign was also conducted in Medicine OPD on the day. in which patients and attendants were educated about the manifestations of rheumatological diseases and need to take early and proper treatment.
Among other, the team comprises of Dr Sujata Devi, Dr Debananda Sahoo and Dr Arpita Dash.
