Cuttack, Nov. 15: The department of surgery (endocrinology and diabetic foot speciality) of SCB Medical College and Hospital has come up with a unique way to maintain the outpatient record and information sheet of patients suffering from diabetes.

On the occasion of the World Diabetes Day, the SCB is observing the Foot Amputation Prevention Week from November 14 to 19 to create diabetes awareness among the people. An official of the state’s premier hospital said the number of people suffering from diabetes had increased manifolds in the last decade. Moreover, though health experts usually blame urban lifestyle for the spread of the disease, increasing number of cases of rural people suffering from diabetes have put them in a spot of bother.

Several risk factors increase a diabetic person’s chances of developing infections in legs and feet. Diabetic foot ulceration occurs in around 15 per cent of all diabetic patients and precedes 84 per cent of lower leg amputations.

According to statistics revealed by the International Diabetes Federation, one in every 10 adults would have diabetes by 2030. Some 522 million people will suffer from diabetes in the next two decades because of demographic changes and ageing.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said there were about 346 million diabetic people across the world and the number would double by 2030.