ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) has started a service of free dressing for diabetic foot patients at their homes to avoid increasing cases of amputation.

During the last one year 327 patients with severe diabetic foot got treatment at the hospital’s diabetic foot clinic and out of them, 57 patients’ toe, foot or legs were amputated.

It is pertinent to mention here that diabetes is one of the major reasons of amputation and death in Pakistan. As many as 400 million people suffer from diabetes in the world.

Pims Media Coordinator Dr Waseem Khawaja told Dawn that although diabetic foot clinic had been functioning since 2007, many patients are unable to visit the clinic frequently because of transportation issues.

“Majority of the people do not have their own conveyance which puts extra financial burden on them as they have to hire a cab as their wheelchairs also have to be transported with them,” he said.

“As patients cannot come to the hospital, their problems increase with every passing day and finally when they are brought here, their condition has worsened and treatment becomes difficult. They then end up losing their limbs,” he said.

“Keeping this in view, it has been decided to start free service for the diabetic foot patients in collaboration with Baqai Foundation. Both staff of Pims and the foundation will visit the patients’ houses where they would treat them. The head of the diabetic foot clinic, Dr Jamal Zafar, will supervise the entire activity,” he said.

Dr Khawaja said as per record of the patients treated at Pims, 20 per cent required amputation. As many as 65 per cent were unable to manage their sugar level and therefore ended up losing a toe or leg. Replying to a question about the necessary prevention, Dr Khawaja said first and foremost, the patient should control his or her sugar level.

“The patient’s foot should be washed and dried daily. Moreover oil should be applied on the foot at night. Patient suffering from a diabetic foot should not walk bare foot,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2014