Capture the Fracture highlighted during a joint NOFSA-IOF Symposium in South Africa
On May 28th, the Capture the Fracture® (CTF) program was highlighted during a joint symposium with the National Osteoporosis Foundation of South Africa (NOFSA).
The joint NOFSA-IOF FLS Symposium, titled “The Need for Fracture Liaison Services in South Africa”, featured presentations from international and national experts in Post-Fracture Care. CTF Steering Committee co-chair Associate Professor Kassim Javaid introduced the benefits of Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) and the resources available through the Capture the Fracture® (CTF) program. Associate Professor Bilkish Cassim, head of the Department of Geriatrics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, presented the burden of osteoporosis and fragility fractures in South Africa.
The 4-hour symposium included local success stories from the two first South African FLS on the CTF Map of Best Practice. Dr. Rehana Bhorat from Vincent Pallotti Hospital and Professor Magda Conradie from Tygerberg provided insights on the successes and challenges of operating a Fracture Liaison Service within the public and private sectors in South Africa.
A panel discussion chaired by Dr Tobie de Villiers, included the above speakers and Dr Hayley de Wet, Dr Wimpie de Lange, Dr Zane Stevens, Dr Koos Jordaan, Teréza Hough, CEO of NOFSA, as well as two panellists from the IOF; Anastasia Soulié, Committee Of National Societies & Capture The Fracture® Partnership Projects Leader and Eric Brûlé-Champagne, Capture the Fracture® Coordinator. The discussion was an insightful exchange of experience between the national and international perspectives, with a focus on how to expand FLS in more hospitals throughout South Africa.
The symposium, which gathered a remarkable 182 attendees, concluded with a call to action for clinicians to engage within their hospitals to bridge the divide between specialties and establish an FLS.
This session represents the first CTF session in South Africa, with a follow-up session planned later on this year, to further advocate for improved post-fracture care alongside NOFSA.