Present, past and future
The DAS Clinic, past and objective
The first DAS clinic on Rheumatology and Emerging Infectious Diseases took place in 2009 in Suriname. The organization was at that time in the hands of Richard van Vugt, rheumatologist VUmc, Azem Karimbeg, internist i.o. VUmc and Ben Hewitt, internist Diakonessenhuis in Paramaribo. This initiative stems from the conviction of the importance of international cooperation and the transfer of knowledge between medical specialists (initiator and 'spiritual father' was A. van Vugt, Rheumatologist, Amsterdam).
At the time, a group of Dutch specialists (internists and rheumatologists) as well as Surinamese specialists took part. The program consisted of a general practitioners symposium, lectures by medical specialists from the Netherlands and from the region. After this there was an excursion to the stations of the Medical Mission in the Interior of Suriname, where patients were seen.
Later on, other specialisms were also involved in the DAS Clinic. In addition to a DAS Clinic on Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases, the DAS Clinic on Gastroenterology and Emerging Infectious Diseases was held in Paramaribo for the first time in 2011.
Although rheumatoid arthritis is often seen as a public disease, there are no specialists in rheumatology in Suriname and the Caribbean. That is why the care must be provided by general practitioners and internists who sometimes try to make the best of it with limited experience. In addition to autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, especially in this patient group, often pose a real threat. In order to offer training for this purpose, Prof. dr. Dr. BAC Dijkmans, rheumatologist, Prof.dr. MHH. Kramer, internist at the VUmc and Ben Hewitt, internist at the Diakonessenhuis in Paramaribo organized this clinic annually. Parallel to this clinic, a consultant rheumatology was followed in the region by, among others. rheumatologists from the VUmc.
The DAS Clinic, past and objective
The first DAS clinic on Rheumatology and Emerging Infectious Diseases took place in 2009 in Suriname. The organization was at that time in the hands of Richard van Vugt, rheumatologist VUmc, Azem Karimbeg, internist i.o. VUmc and Ben Hewitt, internist Diakonessenhuis in Paramaribo. This initiative stems from the conviction of the importance of international cooperation and the transfer of knowledge between medical specialists (initiator and 'spiritual father' was A. van Vugt, Rheumatologist, Amsterdam).
At the time, a group of Dutch specialists (internists and rheumatologists) as well as Surinamese specialists took part. The program consisted of a general practitioners symposium, lectures by medical specialists from the Netherlands and from the region. After this there was an excursion to the stations of the Medical Mission in the Interior of Suriname, where patients were seen.
Later on, other specialisms were also involved in the DAS Clinic. In addition to a DAS Clinic on Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases, the DAS Clinic on Gastroenterology and Emerging Infectious Diseases was held in Paramaribo for the first time in 2011.
Although rheumatoid arthritis is often seen as a public disease, there are no specialists in rheumatology in Suriname and the Caribbean. That is why the care must be provided by general practitioners and internists who sometimes try to make the best of it with limited experience. In addition to autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, especially in this patient group, often pose a real threat. In order to offer training for this purpose, Prof. dr. Dr. BAC Dijkmans, rheumatologist, Prof.dr. MHH. Kramer, internist at the VUmc and Ben Hewitt, internist at the Diakonessenhuis in Paramaribo organized this clinic annually. Parallel to this clinic, a consultant rheumatology was followed in the region by, among others. rheumatologists from the VUmc.