The Diabetic Foot Society of India calls for an international alliance to improve survival and reduce amputations in diabetic foot disease, highlighting its comparable mortality to some cancers and emphasising a need for strategic global action.
The Diabetic Foot Society of India has called for a new international alliance to focus on diabetic foot survival and limb preservation, arguing that the condition is still far too often treated as a narrow clinical issue rather than a major cause of death and disability. In a letter sent by the society under the leadership of its national president, V.B. Narayanamurthy, to Zulfiqarali G. Abbas, who heads the Pan-African Diabetic Foot Study Group, the group urged closer coordination between specialists, researchers and institutions working on the problem.
The case for that push is supported by a growing body of research showing that diabetic foot ulceration carries a severe long-term toll. Evidence cited by the society and reported by The Hindu indicates that five-year mortality after diabetic foot disease can be comparable to that seen in some cancers, while hospital-based and population studies have repeatedly linked ulcers and amputations with sharply higher death rates. A National Library of Medicine review says the lifetime risk of diabetic foot ulcers ranges from 19% to 34%, with recurrence common and mortality substantial even after treatment.
The broader literature also suggests that the burden is not limited to survival. A meta-analysis published on PubMed found that diabetic foot ulceration was associated with a markedly higher risk of death from any cause, while another review estimated five-year survival at just over 50% for people with diabetic foot ulcers. Separate research comparing diabetic foot complications with cancer found that mortality and direct treatment costs were broadly similar across the two groups, strengthening the argument that diabetic foot care deserves the same level of strategic attention that oncology receives.
According to the Indian and international groups named in the proposed alliance, the aim would be to bring together organisations including King’s College London, the International Association of Diabetic Foot Surgeons, D-Foot International, the American Limb Preservation Society, the Federation of International Podiatrists and the Pan-African Diabetic Foot Study Group. The proposal reflects a wider concern that, despite the scale of the problem, global investment, policy focus, care pathways and rehabilitation after amputation remain far below what the evidence suggests is needed.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
