Dr. Josep Vergés: “The patient must MOVE from complaint to active participation”

On Saturday, September 2, the President of the International Osteoarthritis Foundation (OAFI), Dr. Josep Vergés, participated in the Second National Symposium of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis of Colombia held at the Great Compensar Auditorium in Bogotá.

Empowered Patients

Before an audience of nearly a thousand people, Dr. Vergés presented one of the Foundation’s star projects: the training of empowered osteoarthritis patients so that they have real knowledge about their pathology and the necessary information about both pharmacological and lifestyle treatments and prevention. With the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life of patients.

“The patient must move from complaining to active participation,” explained Dr. Josep Vergés, “the positive and participative attitude of the patient is the first step to overcome the disease, to learn to live with it without it becoming a personal tragedy”.

As Dr. Vergés explained, the patients with osteoarthritis are uninformed “about both pharmacological treatments and non-pharmacological measures to improve their condition.”

The president of OAFI shared the stage with Colombian sexologist and TV presenter Flavia Dos Santos, who gave a lecture on how rheumatological diseases affect people’s sex lives.

About the symposium

The second National Symposium for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients is organized by Dr. Pedro Santos and his team as part of a comprehensive rheumatoid patient model coordinated by the Centro de Atención Integral en Artritis Reumatoide in Colombia (Biomab IPS) and the Gest-Art Patient Program. The event is aimed especially at patients and caregivers, in order to promote healthy lifestyles and empower them towards a positive life project.

The internationalisation of OAFI

OAFI’s presence at this symposium consolidates the internationalization of the Foundation, which is increasingly present in different countries around the world. This internationalization will be reflected in the 1st International Congress for Osteoarthritis Patients organized by OAFI on 9 and 10 October at the Cosmocaixa Auditorium in Barcelona, where various rheumatic patient associations and foundations from more than twenty countries will be represented (more information about the congress here)