Call to upgrade district hospitals to provide orthopaedic care

Tirupati: Orthopaedic Surgeons Society of Andhra Pradesh (OSSAP) president and Guntur Medical College orthopaedics wing Prof Dr G Varaprasad said that all district hospitals should be upgraded to provide orthopaedic care to patients by appointing sufficient number of qualified orthopaedic surgeons.

Addressing the 47th three-day annual conference of Orthopaedic Surgeons Society of Andhra Pradesh (OSSAPCON 2018), being organised by the Orthopaedics Department of SV Medical College (SVMC) here on Friday, Prof Dr G Varaprasad said all institutes must be provided sufficient budget to procure latest editions of textbooks and journals besides having access to computers to access digital content to update knowledge. 

Stressing the need for more orthopaedic surgeons in the state, he said that the government should increase number of seats at PG and DNB in both government and private institutions as per the needs of growing population.

He also recalled the long-standing issue of having a separate examination paper for orthopaedics in undergraduate curriculum to cater to the needs of larger sections of patients for preliminary care.

Dr Varaprasad stressed the need to curb quacks who practice dangerous methods on villagers in the name of native treatment and posing a threat to their lives. Senior orthopaedician Prof C K Sharma underlined the importance of clinical analysis of various issues. He said the PG doctors should have a micro and critical view on different procedures, which will enrich their knowledge significantly. 

SVMC Principal Dr N V Ramanaiah said with the advanced studies, the surgery for osteoporosis with minimally invasive procedure without opening joints have now led to stem cell therapy, providing better treatment to patients. 

Conference chief patron and BIRRD Director Dr G Jagadesh expressed happiness as Tirupati has been developing as good centre for orthopaedic treatment with SVR Ruia Hospital and the 300 bedded BIRRD hospital.

Ruia Hospital Superintendent Dr B Sidda Naik and Government Maternity Hospital Superintendent Dr V Bhavani, president elect of OSSAP Dr Y Nageswara Rao, AP Medical Council member and APNA president Dr Sreehari Rao and Organising Committee Chairman Dr S Sreenivasa Reddy spoke. 

Earlier, Dr Ethirajulu memorial CME on infections and paediatric infections was held. In all, 120 papers will be presented in the conference along with 35 posters.