The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : A step forward to cure diabetic foot

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 06, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

A step forward to cure diabetic foot

By Y. Mallikarjun

HYDERABAD, OCT. 5. With India probably accounting for the highest number of crippled cases each year due to diabetic foot complications, an internationally-funded project to train health professionals in preventing the "major health problem" has just been launched.

Training for doctors

Supported by the World Diabetes Foundation, the `Step-by-Step' project taken up at a cost of $400,000 (Rs. 1.9 crores), seeks to train 94 pairs of doctors and nurses in India, 15 pairs in Tanzania and three each in Bangladesh and Nepal. Depending on the success of the programme here, it will be replicated in other countries.

Ali Foster, winner of the 2003 International Diabetic Foot Award and key personality in the project, told The Hindu , "Diabetic foot is a disaster area in India and more amputations occur here possibly than anywhere else in the world". It is estimated that about 45,000 diabetes-related foot amputations take place every year in the country.

Simple cure

Describing it as a "very serious health problem", she added that it could be prevented by simple treatment.

A member of the International Consensus Group on the Diabetic Foot and chief podiatrist, King's College Hospital, London, she said the project, launched last week in Delhi, was a "pioneering" one. Its emphasis was on "team approach" in which doctors and nurses from major cities would be trained in prevention and management of diabetic foot complications.

India had about 3.3 crore diabetics and 15 per cent of them were likely to develop foot complications. "Many of them will need amputations unless they have access to good foot care programme." About 100 "foot clinics" would be set up in the country as part of the project.

Reasons for amputation

"A diabetic foot patient suffers damage to nerves which make the feet numb and insensitive.'' Lack of awareness, socio-cultural practices like bare-foot walking, delayed consultation of specialists due to ignorance and improper management are among the factors leading to amputations. If one leg was removed the chances were high for the other to get amputated within three years, she said.

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