The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a new collaboration with the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO) to develop a roadmap on bone health and ageing.
The five-year agreement includes the development of a public health strategy and action plan to help prevent fractures among older people, as well as to improve the coverage of health services.
An analysis of Global Burden of Disease 2019 data showed that approximately 1.71 billion people globally live with musculoskeletal conditions, which are typically characterised by persistent pain and limitations in mobility and dexterity.
Dr Jean-Yves Reginster, president of ESCEO, who signed the agreement at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, said: “With the ageing of the world’s populations, musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoporosis are on the rise, posing an increasing and costly burden on healthcare systems.
“We believe that this important agreement with the WHO signifies recognition that action must be taken to address the fragility fracture crisis.”
As part of the efforts, the two organisations will work together to develop global estimates on fracture and osteoporosis, review evidence-based interventions to prevent fractures and create an economic model for an investment case in fracture prevention and care.
The collaboration will also see the partners give countries guidance on integrating osteoporosis and fractures in routine data monitoring to strengthen national health information systems, as well as on using data to design evidence-informed policies and programmes to reduce the risk of fractures in older people.
Dr Anshu Banerjee, WHO assistant director-general ad interim, universal health coverage/life course, who also signed the agreement, said it was an important step to improving health and well-being by “putting in place the right public health strategy, policies and services to protect and prevent fractures in older people so they can continue to do the activities they enjoy”.
To help advance the plan, WHO said it will establish an expert working on bone health, with support from the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) and the WHO Collaborating Center for Epidemiology of Musculoskeletal Health and Ageing at the University of Liège in Belgium.
Professor Cyrus Cooper, IOF president, said: “We expect that the strategic research and publications within the framework of this collaboration will lay the groundwork for the prioritisation of osteoporosis and fragility fracture prevention within global healthcare policy. In this sense, the collaboration is truly a game-changer for people with osteoporosis worldwide.”