Indian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IAPMR) announces conference on POST-COVID complications

New Delhi: A medical conference is to be hosted online from March 25-27 by the Indian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IAPMR), the main subjects will be discussed including Post-Covid complications faced by patients, including those with a disability, and their optimum rehabilitation.

Fifty-year-old Indian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IAPMR) is holding the event with the theme "Post-Covid World: Strengthening Healthcare – Rehabilitation 2030". 

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"During the COVID-19 pandemic, virtually everyone suffered in one way or another, but people with disability, who need a caregiver or use a physical aid to walk or hear suffered even more. The condition of social distancing when they need a caregiver or not touching physical objects much to avoid infection when they need a walking stick, is very difficult for such people," said Sanjay Wadhwa, professor and head of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) Department, AIIMS, Delhi. Interacting with reporters at the PMR department at Safdarjung Hospital here, he added that during the three-day conference, domain experts from India and abroad will take part in the conference and exchange the best practices aiming to enhance domain knowledge and have desired results later, which would be to ensure the recovery time for patients having post-Covid or other complications is reduced.

About 250 specialists from physical medicine and rehabilitation field have already registered for the 50th Annual Conference of Indian Association of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (IAPMRCON 2022) being hosted by the Delhi Chapter of the IAPMR, said the AIIMS doctor, who is also the chairperson of the organising committee of the conference.

R K Wadhwa, Additional Medical Superintendent, Safdarjung Hospital, and organizing secretary of the conference, told reporters that many people have exhibited complications after being diagnosed with Covid, called "post-Covid syndromes", which may be related to lungs, heart, kidney, spine, bones, or other body parts, as also may trigger fatigue and loss of appetite.

"Our (PMR) department has been functioning from day one to help patients in their recovery after they complain of such complications. We have been running post-Covid clinics too and also offering teleconsultations to patients at home. In this conference, experts from India and a few other countries, like the US, Canada, and Australia, will discuss and deliberate upon these post-Covid syndromes and discuss the way forward, so as to ensure optimum time for rehabilitation," he said.

Wadhwa said a person could have a disability from polio, amputation, brain stroke, paraplegia, spinal cord injury, arthritis, osteoporosis, accidental trauma, myopathy, cerebral palsy, among others.

"Doctors in respiratory, general medicine and PMR departments at Safdarjung Hospital are also doing research on post-Covid syndromes, and the outcome would be shared soon," he told PTI after the press meet. IAPMR is a scientific body of medical doctors or physiatrists, working in the specialty of PMR, which aims to enhance and restore the functional ability and quality of life of those with physical impairments or locomotor disabilities. It also looks into legislative affairs for persons with disabilities, organizers said.

Many research papers would also be presented during the conference which would be preceded by a workshop on March 25.

"The conference planning was done much earlier, and due to Covid restrictions, we will be hosting it largely virtually, with a few physical presentations, which others could attend," Sanjay Wadhwa said.

Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe will be the chief guest at the opening of the conference here which will be held in a physical mode, he added.

The theme of the conference is inspired by WHO's Rehabilitation 2030 initiative that draws attention to the profound unmet need for rehabilitation worldwide and highlights the importance of strengthening health systems to provide rehabilitation.

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