The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health has announced the launch of a nation-wide awareness campaign to tackle Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), a chronic, progressive inflammatory disease of the joints and surrounding tissues.

RA is associated with intense pain, irreversible joint destruction and systemic complications such as fatigue and anaemia.

The “Don’t let Rheumatoid Arthritis Distort the Picture” campaign is being conducted in association with the Lebanese Society of Rheumatology and association of Arthritis Patients in Lebanon (Irada) with the support of Hoffmann-La Roche.

It will run through out this month, which has been locally proclaimed by the Ministry of Public Health as the RA awareness month.

The initiative will highlight the importance of early diagnosis by detecting signs and symptoms as well as giving the right treatment depending on the severity of the disease, said Minister of Public Health Dr Mohamad Jawad Khalifeh.

"June is to be the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Month in Lebanon and this means getting the message out there, educating the public, bringing the story of RA into the mainstream."

"This campaign will create a tremendous opportunity to help improve the lives of many men, women and children living with the symptoms of RA and yet do not know,' he added.

According to the Lebanese Society of Rheumatology, one per cent of the Lebanese population is affected by RA.

Dr Imad Uthman, president of the Lebanese Society of Rheumatology, said, “RA is a complex and devastating disease if left untreated. Early diagnosis and referral to a rheumatologist is essential to spare patients from the disease progressing to irreversible stages that can be disabling and can affect many aspects of daily living.”

Commenting on the campaign, Abed Al Rahman Sabra, country manager of Hoffmann-La Roche in Lebanon said, "The primary purpose of Roche in supporting public health awareness campaigns is to provide health education information on diseases that can benefit both patients and their caregivers."

"Such national campaigns should encourage the general public to take proactive and positive steps in relation to their health like seeking medical advice from healthcare professionals at the appropriate moments," he added.

As part of the campaign activities, a walkathon will be held in Beirut Souks on June 19 to get people involved to face RA and reinforce the campaign’s core messages.

Throughout this endorsement, Irada will be working closely with RA patients to provide them with all needed assistance to surpass isolation and loneliness while cooperating with the physicians of the Lebanese Society of Rheumatology.

Also to ensure that the campaign reaches all segments of the society, the Municipality of Beirut has joined forces to increase direct public awareness outreach.

In addition, TV commercial and radio spots will be aired free of charge. Also the campaign will be promoted through links on all leading Lebanese portals, online news sites, malls and supermarkets; again placed courtesy of all these companies.-TradeArabia News Service