STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The Orthopaedics Department of Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu, under the patronage of Principal Dr. Ashutosh Gupta and guidance of Head of Department Dr. Sanjeev Gupta, organized a comprehensive event to mark World Spine Day. The day, observed globally to raise awareness about spine conditions with a focus on prevention, featured an engaging “Meet the Press” session held at Dr. N.S. Pathania Hall, GMC Jammu.
The program began with a welcome by Dr. Akhil Gupta, Consultant at Bone and Joint Hospital, to media representatives and patients who had undergone spine surgeries. Dr. Mohd Farooq Butt, Associate Professor and Head of Unit, spoke about the philosophy behind World Spine Day. Dr. Farid H Malik detailed the advanced spine surgery procedures routinely performed in the Orthopaedics Department. Dr. Bias Dev, Associate Professor and Head of Unit, highlighted the department’s high volume of spine surgeries-30 to 40 procedures every month-and stressed the increasing demand for such interventions. He emphasized that spine injuries predominantly affect young individuals and often result in catastrophic neurological losses. Dr. Dev underscored that while medical preparedness is vital, the ultimate goal should be accident prevention to reduce the incidence of spine injuries.
Dr. Bias framed spine injuries as a pressing social issue due to their impact on mobility, financial independence, and overall quality of life. He urged journalists to help spread awareness and become partners in the movement to reduce accidents-the leading cause of spine injuries and disability. He advocated for safer infrastructure, including segregated paths for pedestrians and cyclists, and speed regulations on motorbikes from manufacturers to curb accident rates. The Orthopaedics Department also acknowledged the critical support of the Anaesthesia Department in spine patient care by presenting a memento to Dr. Anita Kohli, Professor and Head of Anaesthesia.
Faculty members addressed common myths related to spine injuries, stressing that patients with unstable vertebral fractures should receive prompt surgical intervention at the nearest available center without unnecessary travel. Dr. Ashutosh Gupta, Principal GMC Jammu, highlighted that the Orthopaedics Department provides comprehensive services including fracture treatment, spine injury management, joint replacement, arthroscopy, tumor resection, and reconstruction. The department’s growing volume of spine surgeries has earned GMC Jammu recognition as a leading national center for spine care.
Additional lectures on spine health were conducted at the Bone and Joint Hospital OPD by Dr. Sparsh Dagoria, Dr Tadeel, Irfan Poswal, Dr Narender Thapa, and Dr Abhimanyu Kaith, in the presence of Medical Superintendent Dr. Sanjay Arora. The event received support from staff, physiotherapists, and GMC administration. The organizing team included Dr. Bias Dev, Dr. Mohd Farooq Butt, Dr. Farid Malik, Dr. Neeraj Malijan, Dr. Akhil Gupta, and resident doctors Dr. Jameel, Dr. Sparsh Dagoria, Dr. Tadeel, Dr. Irfan Poswal, Dr. Narender Thapa, and Dr. Abhimanyu.