Bone and joint decade 2000-2010 in Nepalese perspective

The Bone and Joint Decade is a worldwide multi-disciplinary initiative targeting the care of people with musculoskeletal disorders. It focuses on improving the quality of life of these people through advances in the understanding and treatment through education, research, and prevention strategies. Though the epidemiological data in Nepal are very scanty, worldwide statistics have shown that musculoskeletal conditions represent more than half of all chronic diseases, and are the most common cause of severe long-term pain and disability. There is acute shortage of specialist manpower that care for people with these disorders. Furthermore the teaching in musculoskeletal disorders in health institutions is very minimal. All of these problems highlight the need for expanding the teaching of musculoskeletal disorders at all levels of medical education; promotion of clinical research; improving diagnostic, treatment, and rehabilitative facilities; and implementation of preventive strategies to reduce the burden of these chronic debilitating conditions in the society.