PGIMER Chandigarh launches card to track medical record of patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease, an ongoing illness caused by the inflammation of the intestines, has two main types: ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease

With an aim to help patients with chronic Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) manage the disease effectively, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) launched IBD cards on Thursday, globally celebrated as World IBD Day.

The inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) card has been designed by PGIMER’s gastroenterology department, in association with Colitis and Crohn’s Foundation, India. (Shutterstock)

IBD, an ongoing illness caused by the inflammation of the intestines, has two main types: ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

The IBD card has been designed by PGIMER’s gastroenterology department, in association with Colitis and Crohn’s Foundation, India.

“When a patient with this chronic intestinal disease will visit PGIMER for treatment, we will hand over an IBD card to them. It is a booklet, which will include the patient’s health condition, prescribed medications and diet, and results of medical tests, which can be shown to any doctor across the country to manage the disease further. The card has been designed with suggestions from experts from AIIMS, Delhi; DMC, Ludhiana; and SGPGI, Lucknow,” said Dr Usha Dutta, head, department of gastroenterology.

Dr Vishal Sharma from the department added, “IBD can affect any age or gender. Patients suffering from IBD usually have abdominal pain, diarrhoea and blood in stools. But the diagnosis is often delayed because of lack of awareness about the disease in the community, lack of access to colonoscopy, and confusion with other diseases like haemorrhoids, abdominal tuberculosis and cancer.”

Meanwhile, the department on Thursday also organised awareness camps about the disease.