SICOT e-Newsletter
Issue No. 18 - March 2010
Editorial by Syed Muhammad Awais
Editorial Secretary
SICOT initiatives to improve the quality of orthopaedic care in developing countries
The quality of healthcare services varies widely among the countries of the world. The widest gap of care, however, is that between the developed and the developing countries. In the 21st century, the quality of and access to health care is not just a regional or national problem, it is an international one. Rich and poor, urban and rural populations in every country have a right of access to uniformly high-quality health care. The national health care system of most countries is based on two pillars: the physical infrastructure of health care delivery systems, and the health care providers. Although both are equally important, the health care providers have the greater effect in shaping the future of health care services.
All professional organisations in Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology have an obligation to make collective efforts to improve the quality of health care. These organisations have neither the funds to create infrastructure or the resources to train all orthopaedic surgeons, but they do have a wealth of knowledge and experience to act as teachers and advisers. SICOT, as an international professional organisation in the field of orthopaedic surgery and traumatology, is forever making use of its wealth of knowledge and experience to improve the quality of orthopaedic care in the world.
The several ways in which SICOT is working to improve education include: the publication of International Orthopaedics with its high scientific content, a bimonthly printed SICOT newsletter, monthly SICOT e-Newsletter, SICOT Education Centres in different countries, Fellowships for young surgeons and scientific Conferences and Congresses. The SICOT Manual of Education Objectives serves as a map or guide to train orthopaedic surgeons. Many countries, including Pakistan, are taking full advantage of this manual. In 2003 SICOT introduced a Diploma Examination of knowledge and competence which is becoming an increasingly popular standard in the emerging/developing countries.
The future challenges for SICOT include creating documents on 'A Framework of Minimum Standards of Education in Orthopaedic Surgery', revision of the SICOT Manual of Education Objectives, and preparation of 'Minimum Requirements for Teaching Hospitals to Sponsor Orthopaedic Education and Training'. It is hoped that these three documents will assist the health leaders and politicians of developing countries to elevate their quality of health care to the level of developed countries. To see that all these initiatives are done well and to ensure that quality is continuously improved, there is a great need to establish a SICOT International Accreditation Board.
The work to prepare universal minimum standards for education in orthopaedics has been formally started with the SICOT/WOC Seminar on Education in Orthopaedics, which was held during the combined symposium of the Nepal Orthopaedic Association and the Japanese Orthopaedic Association on 19 February 2010 in the beautiful lake city of Pokhara, Nepal. We strongly encourage you to communicate your ideas to us at the SICOT Head Office (hq@sicot.org).