Diabetes is a major public health problem in India. More than 50% hospital admissions for Diabetes are for Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU). A patient of Diabetic Foot Infection (DFI) spends 50% of his annual income on the treatment. Every year 200000 patient of diabetes undergo higher level amputation. However the stark reality is that 85% of these amputations are completely preventable as these amputations are due to infected neuropathic ulcers. A research study done in St Luke`s university in USA revealed that single visit to podiatrist (Foot Care Clinic) per year for foot evaluation in diabetes patients can reduce higher level amputation by 64% and 3.5 Billion US$ can be saved per year. Diabetic foot patients are very vulnerable due to harmful triad of Neuropathy, Immunopathy and Alerted Biomechanics. So we have very narrow window of opportunity to treat these patient with comprehensive team work. As of today this does not happen in India leading to high number of amputations and morbidity.  The reason is inadequate human resource trained in diabetic foot care and management of diabetic foot ulcers.Most of the patients of diabetes usually do not undergo regular foot examination and do not get primary treatment for callus and symptoms of altered biomechanics. This happens because family physicians, specialist in diabetes, paramedics are not trained to do routine foot evaluation.  Magnitude of the problem is such that public health sector and medical education cannot cope up with this challenge. We need efforts to educate doctors,nurses,paramedics in principles of management of diabetic foot care. When we have 74 million patients of diabetes we have to look after 148 million feet. This is a huge task and every stake holder in the field of diabetes needs to be involved in this task. The gap in training needs to be overcome aggressively, rapidly and with simple educational tools.

Diabetic Foot Society of India was started with the objective of creating cadre of people of different specialties to reduce the higher level amputation. DFSICON 2021 is scheduled to be held in December 2021  under able leadership of Dr S.K. Ajaiyakumar. As usual DFSICON will have national and international faculty members to share their experience in various aspects of diabetic Foot Management. I am sure it will help many health care workers, doctors, surgeons in advancing their knowledge to this subspecialty. I wish all the best for the conference.

Dr. Arun Bal MS
arunbal@gmail.com

Dear All,

Welcome to 2021 annual conference. DFSI meeting is eagerly awaited one and this year though a virtual one will sure be a comprehensive, topical, and practical one. The theme for this year is “Involve, Evolve and Share”. A very comprehensive program has been organized with some of the best speakers and experts in the field to share their vast knowledge with us. I do hope with the shared wealth of knowledge we will evolve and involve ourselves in the service of this difficult and sometimes hopeless condition. The organisers are putting a great effort to bring us a good program. It was their wish to conduct a physical one but am sure you will equally enjoy otherwise due to the constraints of Covid.

Have a wonderful conference.

Dr. V. B. Narayanamurthy FRCS

vbnmurthy@gmail.com

+91 8606580728
+91 9946130462