Indian hospital working to prevent diabetic amputation

The new initiative has been set up to help prevent diabetic complications.

Despite India having more than 65.1 million diabetics, according to the MV Hospital for Diabetes in Chennai, many states and cities do not have comprehensive data on the disease and the complications that it can cause. As a result, the hospital has launched Diabetic Foot Research India (DFRI) and the Diabetic Amputation Prevention Initiative to collect data on diabetics and diabetic foot problems across the country. Doctors from across India can register on the DFRI website, after which they will be sent a form to collect data on their diabetic patients.

According to MV Hospital head, Dr Vijay Viswanathan, this effort can help to prevent complications arising out of diabetes, as well as treating such problems early and conducting further research in the area. The hospital has also announced a partnership with the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and International Working Group of the Diabetic Foot. This cooperation is said to have been established to train people in low-income countries to produce therapeutic footwear for diabetes sufferers.

“How many have foot complications, amputation or how many are at risk, we really do not know,” commented Dr Viswanathan. “This is where we are trying to help.”

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 4 of the January 2016 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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