Podiatric surgeon Dr Sharma: Treat your feet like your face

NT Correspondent

I ndia has the secondhighest diabetic population in the world, with about 74 million diabetics in 2021. Globally, the diabetic foot ulcer is one of the leading causes of death, like lung cancer. For various reasons, diabetic foot care is one of the most neglected aspects of diabetic complications in India. Diabetes foot disease is a common, devastating, but preventable complication of diabetes mellitus.

To create awareness among the clinicians as well as the population about the gravity of the disease, a campaign was launched by Dr Sanjay Sharma, founder of FootSecure and secretary of Indian Podiatry Association, Karnataka. It aims to create awareness of the diabetic foot disease for its early diagnosis and effective treatment.

Under the programme ‘Project safe feet-safe ride’, the awareness and screening campaign was launched here on Saturday. It was inaugurated virtually by Randeep D, IAS, commissioner, Department of Health and Family Welfare Services, Government of Karnataka, at Karnataka Institute of Endocrinology and Research. The event is part of a larger symposium on the subject being held in the city in the presence of Dr Indumathi, director, Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services, Dr HV Rangaswamy, deputy director, NCD, Dr Ravi, director, KIER, and Dr Bhaskar Rajkumar of the BBMP.

In India, it is estimated that nearly 37 million people have diabetic foot conditions, which often result in a numbness, tingling or burning sensation, muscle weakness and pain. Randeep said that on an average, 14 lakh Indians undergo leg amputations annually. And, 80 per cent of the cases could have been prevented with podiatry and timely intervention.

The commissioner said that Karnataka is at the forefront of diabetic management by maintaining a diabetic registry, being the first in the country to have an exclusive government diabetic hospital and the first in the country to have a podiatry department in a government set-up. FootSecure’s awareness campaign will eventually cover all 31 districts, 300 clinics, and 3 lakh people in towns and villages of the state, he said.

Dr Sanjay Sharma said that the diabetic foot is currently being inappropriately managed, leading to amputations, w h i c h c a n be prevented through podiatric interventions. Podiatry, a speciality in medicine that deals exclusively with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the foot and ankle, is not a part of the curriculum in Indian medical colleges. “We would like to create awareness, so that doctors treating diabetes can prevent the diabetic foot disease, as well as refer them in time to specialists when necessary,” he added.

From March 27 onwards, FootSecure is organising a series of awareness talks, workshops and webinars across medical colleges and district hospitals in Karnataka, and also has a series of screening and awareness camps for the diabetic population.

In the next phase, which is going to commence on September 9, a team of doctors will ride across 31 districts of Karnataka to create awareness and screening. Opportunities will be provided for those interested in participating.

Those from the medical fraternity who wish to volunteer for the campaign may reach Dr Sanjay Sharma at info@footsecure.com