WILLEMSTAD – The Netherlands-Caribbean Foundation for Clinical Higher Education (NASKHO), sponsored a three-day symposium about social medicine in Curacao, Aruba and The Netherlands. The symposium commemorated on Friday, January 30th 2015 and culminated on Sunday, February 1st 2015.
In an interview with Professor Dr. A. J. Duits, he stated that the goal of NASKHO during the three-day symposium is to inform all; through healthful discussions and conferences, so that people can learn to exchange ideas and reach more modern models of how we should treat a patient, and learn how to have a more organized health care delivery system, and we must learn how to be more proficient and efficient in attending the public at large.
According to the professor, to improve health problems in Curacao and Aruba, we must first remove the fragmented parts of the health care system. He further stated that we have a fragmented system that is different and non-devoted. Secondly, we need to centralize the clients and patients, and thirdly; we must offer more quality in health care management and administration.
Dr. A. Zahavi; opened the final day of the symposium by presenting and discussing; rehabilitation therapy in acceleration-deceleration trauma.
He explained that the name that is most used in an acceleration-deceleration trauma is referred to as Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD). He said that Whiplash Associated Disorder, is produced as a result of a sudden movement of the pendulum, which is the head and the neck; relative to the hull, which is the body. Dr. A. Zahavi explained, the damage that may occur to the muscles, ligaments, nerves in the neck area during WAD, and he stressed that; this can produce various physical and mental complaints.
Furthermore he clarified that in most cases, whiplash injuries is caused by a rear-end collision and that whiplash injuries can also be caused by a sports accident, accident, crime or an accident at home. Generally the majority of the patients only have short term complaints associated with WAD, however it can as well be on long term duration and persist for several months and even longer. He also stated that the symptoms of WAD ranged wide and very diverse.
Dr. A. Zahavi said that thereis a percentage of patients that have their long term complaints, often despite various forms of treatment. He explained that It may also be that, after a period of time other problems surface, such as sleep disorders and chronic fatigue. In addition, mental changes may also occur, such as memory and concentration problems, and the influence of psychosocial factors was becoming more relevant and Dr. Manaaf Ibrahim Badloe, was born in Suriname and completed his medical training in the Netherlands, he specialized in insurance medicine, and worked in the field since 1994. After his first time as an insurance doctor working in Utrecht, Netherlands, Dr. Badloe moved to his current home and work place, in Aruba. Dr. Badloe is currently a managing partner and Healthcare management consultant at “Medwork Caribbean” with merits as an injury damage specialist and consultant for insurance companies in the development of new insurance products (health and arbitration disability) and also as a consultant for cost management tools in health care.
On commencement night, Dr. Badloe discoursed, the future of occupational health and for the final day of the event, he talked about acceleration-deceleration trauma insurance in a comprehensive perspective.
Dr. Badloe said that; the insurance has to determine the limits in a patient with a WAD I or WAD II via four assessment tasks. he stipulated that principally the assessment of the social and medical history of the current functional capabilities of the expected course are mandatory for patient evaluation.
Mr. J. Allaart, a licensed physiotherapist discussed about, post acceleration-deceleration trauma. Mr. Allaart elaborated on when to begin active exercises and what treatments; according to research evidence, as meaningful progress and recuperation, and he also talked about WAD symptoms and grades of severity. He talked about the instruments, equipment and machineries involved in posttraumatic acceleration-deceleration incidences. He explained the weight function of the spine and shoulder girdle, the muscle function, balance and function impairment in activities and participation. Mr. Allaart; explained the six phases of WAD and gave recommendations for the doctors and patients.
As quiet and nonchalant as the symposium had commenced, it was just as equally innocuous; as the 2015 social medicine symposium; had concluded, with both presenters and attendees engaged in meaningful discussions and raising awareness in the minds of a few that is hoped would affect the minds of many and many more, spreading the effect of social medicine.
Knowledge is power and it strengthens our psycho-social medicinal immunity to a more evolved and developed state; community, society and nation, so let us all increase our social medicine dosage of responsibility and awareness; for a better today and an even better tomorrow!
By Josefina Josepha
Bron: Curacao Chronicle