Diabetes: More Nigerians losing limbs due to ignorance

As the statistics on diabetes and amputations show increases in Nigerians, health experts are left scratching their heads on finding long term solutions to the problems.
The situation is said to have worsened largely because of ignorance of both the affected individuals and persistent delays by medical personnel caring for them to refer them to appropriate centres where they can be properly managed.

According to Diabetes Association of Nigeria, (DAN) estimates, 1 in every 11 Nigerians has diabetes and the ratio is one of the worst in the world.

“Delays in presentation often times lead to amputations as a means of saving the person’s life or even death. Diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputation worldwide, including Nigeria,” said Afokoghene Rita Isiavwe at the 5th Annual Podiatry and Diabetes Foot Care workshop in Lagos recently.

Isiavwe said Podiatry, a specialised branch of medicine that focuses on foot and ankle disorders, which is relevant in the care of persons living with diabetes mellitus is currently not taught in Nigerian universities hence, the introduction of the annual podiatry workshop by Rainbow Medical Centre to fill the gap.

Adeyemi Johnson, a cardiologist and vascular specialist, articulated the need for Nigeria to seriously consider measures aimed at reducing the rate of amputation in the country especially among the underprivileged.

“Management of diabetes and its complications could be very expensive, especially when complications such as diabetes foot set in. The burden could be greatly prevented through awareness and enlightenment of the public,” he said.

The workshop was organised by Rainbow Specialist Medical Centre, a private hospital with focus on the management of diabetes and other endocrine and metabolism conditions, in partnership with the World Walk Foundation, Jamaican Chapter.

The World Walk Foundation, Jamaican Chapter, is designed to train Nigerian doctors, other health workers and people living with diabetes to equip them with basic knowledge and skills on diabetes foot care.

Owens Bernard, founder, World Walk Foundation, Jamaican Chapter, said there is a need to prevent amputation, no matter what stage it is.

“We need to focus on the simple things that lead to amputations. The primary care level is very important and this starts with education. We are here not to tell you what to, but to share with you our experience and knowledge so you can prevent amputations in the interest of humanity,” he said.

Bernard told the audience there was no podiatrist in Jamaica some 25 years ago and foot care was therefore not on the raider in the country at that time. The situation, he said, had changed with the intervention of the World Walk Foundation through partnership with the country’s ministry of health which trained health workers and provided them with basic foot care tools.