BY CHIOMA OBINNA

In an effort to promote basic health knowledge among Nigerians as well as encourage aging gracefully, Lagoon Hospital, Lagos is launching a “Patient Education Forum – The Joint Pain School” in Lagos.

At a forum to educate the general public on why human joints become painful at certain times and with age, the Group Managing Director Hygeia, Mrs. Folasade Laoye explained that the project would also feature how to prevent joints from becoming painful and what treatment options are available for those who have painful joints.

“The joint pain school presents a fantastic opportunity for anyone afflicted with joint pains or relatives of those disabled by joint pains to learn about causes of such painful joints and modern treatment options for alleviating the symptoms.”

The classes at the school which will be open for every Nigerian for free of charge would largely be run by a specialist orthopaedic nurse and a physiotherapist.

Her words: “Admission is completely free but booking will be required in advance.

We are launching in Lagos this Thursday, but our long _ term goal is to launch this kind of initiative nationwide. It is our firm belief that with the launching of this school, the agony associated with living with joint pains will be highly reduced, she added

Speaking, a Renowned Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham, in the United Kingdom noted that the school, in Nigeria, joint pain patients are almost abandoned in their various homes due to ignorance.

“What we are doing is beyond caring for joint pains but to empower patients on maintaining quality of life and also to ensure them that some joint pains can easily be corrected and treated as well as change the general perception about joint pains.

Corroborating his views, also a Consultant Orthopaedic & Traumatologist, Dr. Michael Oji, who pointed out that joint pain is one of the most causes of disabilities said the school will afford the patients opportunity to tell their experiences and also educate others who may have taken wrong decision in the past.