The way Nigeria treats joints is just bewildering”. Prominent Indian rheumatologist gives candid interview to Nigerian newspaper

Last year Mataji Havaldar traveled to Nigeria to study the experience of the country’s medics. He was disheartened by what he saw. According to the Doctor, the area of rheumatology in Nigeria is in such a state that it's like it's stuck in the middle of the previous century. After making several high-profile speeches at the conference, Dr. Mataji Havaldar agreed to give us an interview. What was it about Nigerian medicine that displeased the Doctor so much? And why does he claim that the citizens of our country with sore joints will never be cured of their ailments?

- Speaking to indian journalists, you said that what you saw in Nigeria shocked you. Could you elaborate?

- Before we get into that, let me just say that I have a great respect for your country, your culture and people. But I fully understand why my indian colleagues are, hm, puzzled by the state of your medical sphere. After all, it's lagging 20 or even 30 years behind the rest of Europe. And it's nowhere as noticeable as when it comes to the treatment of diseases of the joints and the musculoskeletal system. You can say that rheumatology simply doesn’t exist in Nigeria.

What your doctors prescribe to treat joints and cartilages MERELY RELIEVES THE SYMPTOMS of the disease - pain, inflammation, edema. Now imagine what goes on inside the body. When a person takes this pill, applies this gel or makes this injection, the pain goes away. But as soon as the remedy stops working, the pain immediately returns.

And pain is an important signal, because it's actually a signal sent by your brain that a destructive process is taking place in the joint. Taking regular painkillers will not heal your joints. You essentially ignore the problem and accelerate the process 3-5 times and that, in turn, ultimately leads to irreversible changes and to the person becoming disabled.

This joint treatment method has not been used for 20 years already. pain relievers are used only in extreme cases and very carefully. In India you won’t be able to buy them without a prescription which are not given out left and right to every patient.

The so-called "chondroprotectors" are banned altogether for being completely fraudulent and useless drugs. Your doctors and pharmacists are just maiming people! It is clear that it is very profitable to constantly sell pain relievers at high prices. But it is better to cure the disease once and for all, restore the dying joint, but that's not what you do here!