Diabetics undergo 84 leg amputations last year

Diabetes robbed 84 people of their leg last year, a figure that could have been slashed by half if those suffering from this condition had taken the necessary preventive measures.

In all, 120 amputations were carried out at St Luke's Hospital last year, 84 of which were related to diabetes, according to Joseph Azzopardi, head of the University of Malta's Department of Medicine.

Ten years ago, 120 diabetics had to endure the trauma of having their leg cut off. Though the number of amputations is down as a result of greater educational awareness, more could be done, Prof. Azzopardi insisted.

Diabetes and foot care was the subject of yesterday's press conference organised by the Maltese Diabetes Association to mark World Diabetes Day, which is this year focusing on the theme Put Your Feet First, Avoid Amputations.

Somewhere in the world a leg is lost to diabetes every 30 seconds and if diabetics continued to ignore their condition, they would face the risk of losing their feet or their eyesight, warned Prof. Azzopardi, who also runs the hospital's Diabetic Clinic.

An average of 70 people visited the clinic each day for check-ups or treatment but many became indifferent about their condition if they went through life without complications and then it could be too late.

Diabetes tends to attack the nerves in the legs and circulation - 27.8 per cent of those who suffer from Type 2 diabetes have problems with neuropathy while another 12.5 per cent have trouble with their circulation.

Prof. Azzopardi put an accent on the importance of regular foot care, keeping feet clean and avoiding walking barefoot.

Association president Anna Zammit McKeon stressed the need for continuous information campaigns to empower diabetics to control their sugar levels.

Though the association organised regular information meetings only a small percentage of diabetics turned up, so it was crucial that the message got across through the different media.

Ms McKeon also said that an investment in treating diabetes would serve to reduce future complications that would further burden the country's health infrastructure.

"While as an association we recognise that the government's expenditure is continually increasing, any new policies that attempt to save money now should consider whether more will have to be spent in the future. We are prepared to discuss our ideas with the government," she said.

One of the issues raised was the number of syringes provided to diabetics. Opposition spokesman Michael Farrugia pointed out that at present, diabetics were allocated 10 syringes a month, which were not enough and some had to reuse the same syringe three to four times.

In reply to this, Health Minister Louis Deguara said Malta followed the guidelines of the World Health Organisation when it came to syringe allocation to diabetics.

He stressed that diabetes was at the forefront of the government's priorities and while it was doing its utmost to ensure diabetics received the best treatment, the money had to stretch to tackle the needs of those suffering from other conditions.

"I do have to say that a WHO representative recently told me that Malta was one of the models that managed diabetes successfully, which is extremely encouraging. The level of treatment in Malta is high. Of course, there is room for improvement, but overall we should consider ourselves lucky," he said.

Diabetes is a currently incurable condition in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles.

The worst thing is that 50 per cent of all people with diabetes are unaware of their condition, so the advice is to go for a check-up if you are experiencing strange symptoms or the condition runs in the family.