PGI Celebrates Diabetic Foot Awareness Day

By 121 News

Chandigarh 01^st April:-  Department of Endocrinology, PGI, Chandigarh celebrated "Diabetic Foot Awareness Day" on the occasion of foundation day of Diabetic Foot Society of India on 31^st March in 2003. India has around 7 crore diabetic patients and almost similar number are pre-diabetic and "at risk" for diabetic complications including the most worrisome foot problems. That means, we have to take care of 60 crore foot of diabetic patients in our country. But, with the paucity of trained physicians, the need for empowerment of patients for their own foot care is the need of hour. This initiative by the department is one amongst the steps taken to encourage diabetic patients about foot care, through educative videos, pamphlets in their native languages. The life time risk of having diabetic foot by a diabetic patient is 10% and knowledge about foot care is non-existent.
Department of Endocrinology has thus taken the initiative for preventing foot problems by educating the patients and providing affordable treatment in this part of the country. We have established a state-of art diabetic foot lab for diagnosis of neuropathy and vasculopathy at an early stage. Both neuropathy and vasculopathy are considered as the most important predisposing factors for diabetic foot ulcer and diagnosing these problems at early stage may prevent foot ulcers and amputation. Prevention of foot ulcer, demands daily foot care by the patient themselves, a good footwear and regular check-up by the consulting physicians.