The high number of amputations related to diabetes has resulted in people branding us as a “department that is just chopping off the leg”, says Fiji’s chief surgeon Dr Josese Turagava.
He made the comments on Sunday while speaking on a FRIEND Fiji-organised panel discussion to mark World Diabetes Day.
“The burden of diabetes on the operating theatre is quite huge,” he said.
Dr Turagava said in 2019, there were 1171 diabetes-related operations at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital.
“Despite our coordinated efforts, the numbers are still increasing, diabetes foot sepsis is just the tip of the iceberg of the problem of diabetes and NCD in Fiji.”
He also said in 2012, they were conducting one amputation every 12.6 hours and were now doing one amputation every eight hours.
“We work through Saturday and Sunday just to sort out the diabetic theatre and make sure that we complete all the lists.
“We have been branded as the department that is just chopping off the leg.
“There is a whole list of things diabetes brings and right now, our aim is to save lives and that’s why we are doing amputations.”
He said for the management of diabetes, people must be screened and identified early.
