A programme that trains clinicians in diabetic foot management has been launched in Tanzania, increasing patient awareness and decreasing rates of amputation.

The Step by Step Foot programme comprises a three-day training course for clinicians and a one-year interim screening and evaluation, followed by an advanced training course. The programme focuses on the health and hazards of diabetic foot problems, which are not traditionally taught in Tanzanian healthcare education.

In Tanzania, diabetic foot complications cause a high proportion of morbidity, and over 70% of leg amputations. In the past, clinicians have had very little understanding of diabetes and its complications, however between 2005-2008, the main tertiary care centre in Dar es Salaam as well as other referral centres, saw reduced incidents of ulcers and amputations due to the Step by Step Foot programme.

Training clinicians to screen patients for diabetic foot complications has proved effective and helped develop permanent foot clinics in 14 regions of the country, providing infrastructure for the future of diabetic foot treatments in Africa and creating a programme model for raising awareness in developing countries.

Image: Clinic in Tanzania. Credit: ibmphoto24 on Flickr.