The WHO proclaimed the years 2000-2010 as the Bone and Joint Decade . It is a global alliance promoting musculoskeletal health. World Arthritis Day on 12 October is a part of the Bone and Joint Decade Action Week which occurs each year in October.
Rheumatoid arthritis is considered an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mostly attacks tissues in the joints of hands and feet causing inflammation with swelling, pain and damage to the tissue.
On that occasion, the Society of People with Rheumatic Diseases ” Snaga TK” organized an expert meeting entitled” Biologic Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis” at the Clinic for Internal Medicine, University Clinical Center Tuzla.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, about 33000 people are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, of which 5400 are in the area of the Tuzla Canton. The disease can occur at any age, but most commonly affects people between 20 and 40 years of life that are considered to be the most productive years of a person’s work life. Since inflammatory rheumatic diseases influence the ability to work, it is very important to focus on prevention, early detection, timely treatment and rehabilitation. Early detection and treatment to control inflammation is of critical importance in rheumatoid arthritis, given the possible rapid destruction of joint.
For contribution to the application of biologic treatments a written and public acknowledgements were given to the Tuzla Canton Ministry of Health, Institute for Health Insurance of the Tuzla Canton, Ass. Prof. Nešad Hotić, director of the University Clinical Center Tuzla, Prof. Dr. Fahrija Skokić, medical director of the University Clinical Center Tuzla, Prof. Dr. Denija Tulumović, head of the Clinic for Internal Medicine, MPharm. Katica Mišić, head of Hospital Pharmacy, Prof.Dr. Mirsad Hodžić, Prof.Dr. Suada Mulić Bačić, Dr. Drago Antić, Dr. Alma Hajdarević, and nurses and technicians from the Department for Rheumatology.