World Osteoporosis Day: “Unacceptable that osteoporosis can still be missed by medical practitioners,” says NOFSA CEO

Cape Town, 20 October 2025 — As the world marks World Osteoporosis Day (WOD) on 20 October, the National Osteoporosis Foundation South Africa (NOFSA) joins the global call to raise awareness about bone health and the silent epidemic of osteoporosis — a disease still too often undiagnosed, undertreated, and underestimated.

World Osteoporosis Day, spearheaded by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), launches a year-long campaign dedicated to improving the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases. It unites advocates, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and patients worldwide to demand better bone health strategies and greater clinical awareness.

A preventable crisis that continues to be overlooked

Despite decades of progress in understanding osteoporosis, current attitudes and inaction remain deeply concerning.

“At a time when our understanding of osteoporosis has never been greater, when technology allows early diagnosis and a wide range of effective treatments exist, it is simply unacceptable that patients continue to receive inadequate care,” says Tereza Hough, CEO of NOFSA. “Too many medical practitioners still fail to prioritise bone health on the same level as cardiovascular disease or cancer, leaving millions at unnecessary risk of fractures, pain, and disability.”

Globally, over 500 million people are affected by osteoporosis. One in three women and one in five men will suffer an osteoporotic fracture in their lifetime — yet most remain undiagnosed and untreated.

Fragility fractures can lead to chronic pain, loss of independence, and even premature death. Families and healthcare systems bear the heavy emotional and financial costs of this preventable disease. Alarmingly, up to 80% of patients who suffer an osteoporotic fracture are neither diagnosed nor treated for the underlying condition.

Why awareness and education matter

Bone health is not a luxury — it is essential for healthy ageing. Yet awareness remains critically low, both among the public and healthcare professionals.

• Only one-third of vertebral fractures come to medical attention. Many are dismissed as simple back pain.
• Radiologists often fail to recognise and report osteoporotic fractures on X-rays.
• Primary care physicians receive limited training on bone health, resulting in missed diagnoses and untreated risk factors.
• Men and patients with chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and HIV remain significantly under-screened.

“Every doctor who treats older patients should screen for osteoporosis risk factors just as they would for blood pressure or cholesterol,” adds Hough. “We must normalise conversations about bone health and encourage prevention through nutrition, movement, and early screening.”

In South Africa and globally, bone health remains under-prioritised in healthcare systems. For instance, in Europe, 72% of women at high fracture risk go untreated — a gap mirrored in developing nations like South Africa.

A call for coordinated action

World Osteoporosis Day provides a platform to unite voices — from policymakers and clinicians to families and patients — in demanding change. NOFSA calls for:

• Mandatory osteoporosis education in medical training.
• Better screening and reporting protocols for high-risk groups.
• Increased public funding for bone health research and awareness.
• Integration of bone health into national healthy ageing strategies.
• Adequate reimbursement for diagnostic procedures and preventative medications to prevent fractures.

“Osteoporosis is not an inevitable part of ageing,” concludes Hough. “It is a treatable disease. But to protect future generations, we must act decisively now — with awareness, screening, and care that values bone health as much as heart health.”

About NOFSA

The National Osteoporosis Foundation South Africa (NOFSA) is the country’s only non-profit, voluntary health organisation dedicated to promoting lifelong bone health. NOFSA works to reduce the prevalence of osteoporosis through research, education, advocacy, and public awareness campaigns.

Find out more at www.osteoporosis.org.za

Media enquiries:
NOFSA – National Osteoporosis Foundation South Africa
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.osteoporosis.org.za