4TH ASIAN SPINAL CORD NETWORK (Ascon) CONFERENCE REPORT

The 4th Asian Spinal Cord Network (ASCoN) Conference, with the theme “Comprehensive Spinal Injury Management and Innovation in Asia”, was held in Kathmandu from 8 to 10 November. It was hosted by the Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Centre, Jorpati. The venue was the conference center at the nearby Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Spinal injury is an increasing cause of disability in Asia, a fact highlighted by the fact that highway accidents have seen a spurt this year in the host country, Nepal. This has led to a rise of spinal injury cases from road accidents, whereas the ‘traditional’ causes have been falling off trees, cliffs and trail sides. Most of the countries of Asia are unprepared to tackle this devastating injury, which has physical, psychological as well as societal consequences.

The ASCoN Conference was an opportunity for professionals confronting the challenge of spinal injury to come together for sharing and learning. It brought together over 140 professionals from 14 countries comprising neuro- and orthopedic surgeons, doctors, nurses, managers, care assistants, physio- and occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists and peer counselors. The conference aimed to help in the further development of spinal injury services and related human resources and to provide delegates with knowledge and skills that could be immediately incorporated into their own programmes post-conference.

The theme of the conference was well set out by Prof. JJ Wyndaele, Chair of the Education Committee of ISCoS, when he called for “comprehensive and multidisciplinary team management the person with spinal injury”. Opening the conference, Nepal’s Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Asta Laxmi Shakya said that the country must gear up to tackle the projected increase in spinal injury nationally.

Everest summitteer and head of the Indian Spinal Injury Society Maj. H.S. Ahluwalia stressed the importance of motivating the victims of spinal injury to as far as possible overcoming their disability. Kanak Mani Dixit, Chair of the Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Center at Jorpati, the conference organizer, said that meeting the challenge of spinal injury in a country like Nepal started with ‘discovery’ of the injured person, and at the challenge was extraordinary at each stage of rescue, transport, treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration.

Highlights of conference included hands-on demonstrations and workshops, the delivery of over 60 presentations, poster displays and panel discussions. Tours were organised to the Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Center, where patients spoke of their experiences, documentary films were screened, and there were ‘wheelchair tutorials’. The conference afforded an opportunity for professionals to share ideas, discuss challenges in their particular areas of work and build links for the future, particularly between neighbouring countries and cities. The conference also provided the opportunity for ASCoN’s Annual General Meeting and a gathering of the ISCoS Education Committee.

The 4th ASCoN Conference was of particular importance to participants from the host country, as it allowed a relatively large number of Nepal-based professionals to gain from the gathered expertise. This was also an opportunity for professionals working as far apart as Pokhara, Palpa and Kathmandu to develop linkages in order to respond better to spinal injury. The conference provided increased awareness and knowledge on spinal cord injury management to the staff of SIRC, a relatively small institution which started work only in April 2002.

The 5th ASCoN Conference will be hosted by the Hospital for the Rehabilitation of Professional Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in December 2005.

The 4th ASCoN Conference organisation was supported by John Grooms Overseas and financial support was provided by ICORD, ISCoS, Spirit and The Swiss Paraplegic Foundation.

Contact: Esha Thapa, Director, SIRC, email: spinalinju@wlink.com.np