Reducing Health Inequities Through Total Knee Arthroplasty: An Experience From Bhutan
ABSTRACT Background and Aims Bhutan is a low–middle‐income country with a 0.7 million population with a high burden of musculoskeletal conditions. Recognizing the high burden of osteoarthritis, total knee arthroplasty (TKA) was launched in the country in 2022. However, Bhutan continues to refer comp...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Health Science Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70459 |
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| author | Nomina Pradhan Monu Tamang Sagar Rai Choeda Gyaltshen Choney Dema Mimi Lhamu Mynak Michael Canestrari Kenneth Christopher Sands Kuenzang Wangdi |
| author_facet | Nomina Pradhan Monu Tamang Sagar Rai Choeda Gyaltshen Choney Dema Mimi Lhamu Mynak Michael Canestrari Kenneth Christopher Sands Kuenzang Wangdi |
| author_sort | Nomina Pradhan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Background and Aims Bhutan is a low–middle‐income country with a 0.7 million population with a high burden of musculoskeletal conditions. Recognizing the high burden of osteoarthritis, total knee arthroplasty (TKA) was launched in the country in 2022. However, Bhutan continues to refer complicated cases to India. In 2024, International Operation, a US‐based nonprofit secular and humanitarian organization, conducted a TKA camp in Bhutan. This perspective aims to report about the camp and discuss how such camps help reduce healthcare disparities. Method We compiled data on patients who underwent total knee or hip arthroplasty in last 7 years from the registry maintained at National Referral Hospital of Bhutan. We shared our experience of hosting TKA camp and discuss how such camps might help reduce healthcare disparities. Result In last 7 years, Bhutan referred increasing number of patients for total knee and hip arthroplasty to India. Royal Government of Bhutan spends Nu. 250,000 (approximately US$3000) per patient excluding expenses for travel, logistics, and medications. A team from International Operation conducted TKA on 31 patients during the camp. Conclusion Such camps would help reduce the healthcare disparities in low‐ and middle‐income countries. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7b76e38da8d44e179be1e64ac203afaa |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2398-8835 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Science Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-7b76e38da8d44e179be1e64ac203afaa2025-08-20T02:11:08ZengWileyHealth Science Reports2398-88352025-02-0182n/an/a10.1002/hsr2.70459Reducing Health Inequities Through Total Knee Arthroplasty: An Experience From BhutanNomina Pradhan0Monu Tamang1Sagar Rai2Choeda Gyaltshen3Choney Dema4Mimi Lhamu Mynak5Michael Canestrari6Kenneth Christopher Sands7Kuenzang Wangdi8Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Central Regional Referral Hospital Gelephu BhutanDepartment of Physiotherapy Central Regional Referral Hospital Gelephu BhutanDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery Central Regional Referral Hospital Gelephu BhutanCentral Regional Referral Hospital Gelephu BhutanNational Medical Services Ministry of Health Thimphu BhutanNational Medical Services Ministry of Health Thimphu BhutanHome Health Care of Florida Melbourne Florida USAMelbourne Regional Medical Center Melbourne Florida USANational Medical Services Ministry of Health Thimphu BhutanABSTRACT Background and Aims Bhutan is a low–middle‐income country with a 0.7 million population with a high burden of musculoskeletal conditions. Recognizing the high burden of osteoarthritis, total knee arthroplasty (TKA) was launched in the country in 2022. However, Bhutan continues to refer complicated cases to India. In 2024, International Operation, a US‐based nonprofit secular and humanitarian organization, conducted a TKA camp in Bhutan. This perspective aims to report about the camp and discuss how such camps help reduce healthcare disparities. Method We compiled data on patients who underwent total knee or hip arthroplasty in last 7 years from the registry maintained at National Referral Hospital of Bhutan. We shared our experience of hosting TKA camp and discuss how such camps might help reduce healthcare disparities. Result In last 7 years, Bhutan referred increasing number of patients for total knee and hip arthroplasty to India. Royal Government of Bhutan spends Nu. 250,000 (approximately US$3000) per patient excluding expenses for travel, logistics, and medications. A team from International Operation conducted TKA on 31 patients during the camp. Conclusion Such camps would help reduce the healthcare disparities in low‐ and middle‐income countries.https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70459health equitiesosteoarthritissurgical camptotal knee arthroplasty |
| spellingShingle | Nomina Pradhan Monu Tamang Sagar Rai Choeda Gyaltshen Choney Dema Mimi Lhamu Mynak Michael Canestrari Kenneth Christopher Sands Kuenzang Wangdi Reducing Health Inequities Through Total Knee Arthroplasty: An Experience From Bhutan Health Science Reports health equities osteoarthritis surgical camp total knee arthroplasty |
| title | Reducing Health Inequities Through Total Knee Arthroplasty: An Experience From Bhutan |
| title_full | Reducing Health Inequities Through Total Knee Arthroplasty: An Experience From Bhutan |
| title_fullStr | Reducing Health Inequities Through Total Knee Arthroplasty: An Experience From Bhutan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reducing Health Inequities Through Total Knee Arthroplasty: An Experience From Bhutan |
| title_short | Reducing Health Inequities Through Total Knee Arthroplasty: An Experience From Bhutan |
| title_sort | reducing health inequities through total knee arthroplasty an experience from bhutan |
| topic | health equities osteoarthritis surgical camp total knee arthroplasty |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70459 |
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