New foot care programme to begin in St. Kitts
By Melissa Bryant
Reporter~SKNVibes.com
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN an attempt to decrease the island’s high incidences of foot amputations resulting from diabetic complications, the government has approved the implementation of a foot care programme which would enhance the ability of doctors and nurses to treat people with foot problems.
The programme will be facilitated by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) in collaboration with Rotary International.
In an exclusive interview with SKNVibes on Wednesday (Jan. 14), IDF Representatives Dr. Karel Bakker and Dr. Kristien Von
Acker expounded on the background and details of the project. According to Bakker, conceptualisation of the idea began in 1999 when the Rotary Club of Ledbury implemented a foot care
programme in Tobago, which had a similarly high number of diabetic foot amputations at the time. Due to the programme’s success, the rate of diabetic foot amputations in the island has been reduced by more than 50 percent.
Bakker further stated that initial talks to implement the programme in other Caribbean islands began two years ago when his organisation contacted each country’s Ministry of Health.
He revealed that St. Kitts had been chosen, along with other islands including Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Martin, primarily for the enthusiasm that was displayed by local healthcare officials.
Von Acker divulged that the programme would consist of two courses in proper foot care treatment; the first would be a basic course lasting for no longer than three days and is to be followed up by an advanced course a year later.
She stated that healthcare specialists would be trained in teams of at least one doctor and one nurse and revealed that the programme would accept up to eight of these teams. However, she stressed the need for ordinary persons to develop awareness of their potential foot problems.~~Adz:Right~~
“Amputation is a very serious problem for the world’s diabetics because every 30 seconds a lower leg is lost to the disease. Forty to 70 percent of all lower extremity amputations are related to diabetes and diabetics are 25 times more likely to lose a leg than people without the condition.
“St. Kitts has a high prevalence of both diabetes and amputations. Many persons are not aware that sores on their feet can lead to an eventual amputation. Word has to get out to patients and their mentality needs to change,” declared Von Acker.
While no specific timeline has yet been set, Bakker disclosed that it is the IDF’s aim to begin groundwork for the project’s implementation before the year ends. He also expressed confidence that its successful execution would result in a Tobago-like reduction of local amputation rates.
