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News Releases
Two MARRTC physicians lecture in India and Pakistan
Columbia, Mo. (September 1999) - Two Columbia, Mo. physicians shared their expertise with health care professionals in India and Pakistan this summer.
In August 1999, Dr. Sara Walker and her husband, Dr. Donald Kay, both rheumatologists, spent three weeks in India and Pakistan. While there, they spoke to health care professionals about rheumatic diseases. Rheumatologists are trained to diagnose and treat arthritis and other joint and muscle diseases. Such diseases affect one out of six Americans.
Pakistan, a county with a population 25-times the size of Missouri's, has only eight to 10 trained rheumatologists. Missouri has more than 100 specialists listed with the American College of Rheumatology. A Pakistani medical newspaper recently reported that a large percentage of the population is effected by rheumatic disease.
The shortage of rheumatologists means Pakistanis with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis or lupus often seek treatment from physicians who have not been specially trained to treat rheumatic diseases, Walker said.
It is difficult for physicians who are not specially trained to diagnose rheumatic diseases. An early diagnosis is essential for appropriate, early treatment, which can help prevent or ease disability.
To bridge the knowledge gap and help Pakistani physicians understand the complexities of rheumatic diseases, Walker and Kay lectured at a rheumatology workshop in Lahore, Pakistan.
The one-day course drew 200 physicians from across Pakistan, including family practitioners, internists and pediatricians. While in Lahore, Pakistan, Walker and Kay also saw patients at a free clinic.
The American doctors received a warm reception in Pakistan. Their visit made the front page of Lahore's daily Urdu-language paper, and at the workshop, both Columbia doctors were made fellows of Pakistan's National Academy of Medical Sciences
Walker and Kay were also interviewed by a Pakistani medical newspaper, "DOCTOR Fortnightly."
The MU physicians' trip to Pakistan and India stemmed from Walker's involvement with the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine. As a regent of the ACP-ASIM, Walker was invited to India to attend the conference in Hyderabad.
The conference was organized by SHARE, a group of physicians and scientists of Indian origin who work in America. SHARE, or Science and Health Allied Research and Education, provides medical knowledge to developing countries. The organization operates two hospitals in India and sponsors a yearly conference.
At the workshop in Pakistan, Walker lectured on her area of primary research, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). With SLE, also known as lupus, the immune system makes antibodies that attack healthy tissue. The disease is nine times more common in women than men, and is usually diagnosed when patients are between 18 and 30 years old.
At the Pakistan workshop, Walker also lectured on osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis causes joint stiffness and pain during movement. It occurs most frequently in people over age 50.In the United States, osteoarthritis affects 16 million or about 64 out of 1,000 people.
Kay lectured on rheumatoid arthritis, which causes inflammation of the joints and internal organs. Rheumatoid arthritis affects about 1 percent of the population. Kay noted contrary to popular belief, exercise benefits persons with rheumatoid arthritis. Regular exercise can strengthen muscles and reduce weakness and disability.
Walker, practices rheumatology at Harry S. Truman Memorial Veteran's Hospital, is a co-investigator for two Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center projects.
The goal of one project is to reduce pain and health-care costs in rheumatoid arthritis patients through depression management. The other project is developing seminars to educate health care professionals about advances in arthritis research.
Kay is co-investigator for a MARRTC project on exercise self-management for persons with arthritis. Kay is a retired clinical associate professor from the MU Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Immunology and Rheumatology.
While Kay and Walker had little previous experience with international medicine, their visit to Pakistan and India left them eager to travel more. Walker praised the welcome she and Kay received, particularly in Pakistan.
"It was an amazing trip," Walker said.
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