WHO and AO Foundation collaborate on care for the injured
“Trauma”: street scene in Rio de Janeiro.
The first Global Forum on Trauma Care was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 28-29 October 2009. Organized by WHO—with support from the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the State Government of Rio de Janeiro, and the Bone and Joint Decade coalition—the forum brought together 100 of the world's leading trauma care experts, including representatives of professional trauma related societies such as AO Foundation, ministry of health planners, and other interested stakeholders. The forum’s goal was to draw greater attention to the affordable and sustainable improvements in trauma care services which can be applied globally.
Brazil’s Minister of Health, Jose Gomes Temporão, answering journalists’ questions after the opening of the WHO Global Forum for Trauma Care in Rio de Janeiro.
On the political agenda
Amongst those present at the opening ceremony were: the Minister of Health of Brazil, Jose Gomes Temporão; the representative of the Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro; the Health Secretary of the City of Rio de Janeiro and WHO officials. As host city for 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, Rio de Janeiro, demonstrated how the trauma epidemic has made it onto the political agenda. However, representatives of WHO and professional societies stressed the lack of attention trauma mortality figures receive
by comparison with HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, although more people per year die from trauma than from all these diseases put together. The WHO estimates that by 2030 trauma from road-traffic accidents alone will be the 3rd most common cause worldwide of both mortality and disability.
Peter Trafton, member of the AOTrauma International Board, representing AO at the first WHO Global Forum for Trauma Care.
Global collaboration—AO contribution
In order to raise awareness for injury care, forum participants agreed on a set of strategies and messages for future campaigns and discussed an agenda for action. AO Foundation—represented by members of AOTrauma and AOSpine—participated in the forum and subsequent working groups, with the common goal of operatively reducing disability from musculoskeletal injuries. At an AO booth in the exhibition area, forum participants learnt about the AO surgeon’s network, its principle mission and tangible
projects such as AO Surgery Reference and Emerging Health Systems, which aim to introduce AO principles to previously unreached circles, improve surgeon education and consequently patient care.
Decisions reached
WHO will play a key role in the creation of an informal network or alliance involving many of the leading professional associations and NGOs involved in trauma care. WHO will continue to work with key partners—among them the AO Foundation—to develop an agenda for action on this issue in coming years.
Click here to see the WHO program on Violence and Injury Prevention and Disability.
Click here to read the World Health Assembly resolution on trauma and emergency care services.
Click here to read AO Dialogue 2/09 article “The global trauma epidemic”.
Click here to read AO Dialogue 2/09 article “AO Surgery Reference in emerging health systems”.
Consuelo Albornoz (right), AOTrauma Latin America, and Antonio Machado, AOSpine Latin America, presenting AO’s contributions to improving trauma care.
