PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
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it is indeed an honor to be elected as the Chairperson of the Arthrheuma Society of Kenya. Since its establishment , we are striving hard to enhance knowledge about rheumatic disorders and encourage further development of expertise among the medical profession. The society which was initially setup by a handful of foreign trained individuals, has now blossomed into a mixture of both foreign and locally trained fraternity. With the gallant efforts of its members, the field of rheumatology in Kenya has grown in leaps and bounds. Rheumatology has been a medical field that has been neglected and misunderstood by both general population and the medical profession. Rheumatic diseases are one of the leading causes of disability among adults age 65 and older. Locally, we are also witnessing a surge of rheumatic diseases with related complications. There is a heavy financial burden incurred by patients suffering from these diseases. The diagnosis and management using drugs, at times lifelong, can be very costly. The disability from the disease leads to loss of working hours and income to sustain treatment and other life commitments. Rheumatic diseases affect people of all races and ages. The above issues formed the basis of the formation of the Arthrheuma Society of Kenya.
It was formed to help alleviate the untold suffering of the rheumatic patient and to help in spreading the education of the diseases. Activities of the organization include working together with players in the rheumatology industry from patients through support groups, to doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists in conjunction with various sponsors. They also cater for education forums, conferences and symposiums where participants in the medical field can meet to interact on various issues in rheumatology. This encourages not only the local and international rheumatologists to interact and exchange their experiences but also helps to disseminate awareness among other health professionals and the public. We encourage the policy makers of the country to understand the necessity to establish more centers for the treatment of rheumatic disorders both in public and the private sector. In order to pursue its aims, the society is eager and willing to accept trained professionals form both within and outside the country to assist attain our core objectives of promoting musculoskeletal health in Kenya.
ARSK is now collaborating with various other international bodies and our members are important shareholders in a few of them including AFLAR, EULAR, BSR, ACR amongst others.
In the end I wish all the members of the Society the best. I advise that all of us hold our hands together and coordinate closely with other health professionals both in Kenya and abroad to encourage research, training and capacity building to improve health for all.