Calls for Action as Diabetes Related Amputations Surge

"We need to pause and think about what we need to do to stop the increasing number of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and lower limb amputations,” says Dr Devina Nand.

Dr Nand, Head of Wellness at the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, shared that two studies were conducted examining the characteristics of patients with diabetes mellitus who required lower limb amputations.

Diabetes mellitus is a condition where blood glucose levels are inadequately controlled.

“According to one study, a total of 938 amputations were performed between 2010 and 2012,” Dr Nand explained.

“The second study focused on patterns of first-time extremity amputations. Between 2012 and 2015, it shows that about 648 patients had their first amputation due to diabetes,” she added.

“This is alarming for Fiji,” Dr Nand emphasised.

“It’s a huge number of people living with disabilities due to amputations. Diabetes is contributing to many disabilities in our society.

“We need to take a pause and think about what we must do to stop this.”

Dr Nand said that nearly 80 per cent of all deaths in Fiji are attributed to non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

“Of those, 30 to 40 per cent are premature deaths, and this includes deaths caused by diabetes,” she noted.

Dr Nand also said that many Fijians do not live beyond the benchmark age of 70.

“Looking at the diabetes data from 2011 to 2015, the age range of patients with amputations was between 30 and 91 years. The youngest was 30, and the oldest was 91,” she said.

“Many of these patients are in the productive age group. We don’t have a lot of Fijians living past 70,” Dr Nand added.

She said that everything we eat has side effects, urging a deeper reflection on diet and lifestyle choices.

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