CHANDIGARJH, 04.02.25-D“Pada, Paduka and Aap “: A book on diabetic Foot Prevention released by Dr Vivek Lal, Director,PGIMER.Diabetes has assumed epidemic proportions in India and now India has the highest number of people with this disease on this planet. One of the dreaded complication of diabetes are “diabetic foot” complications that include foot ulcer, gangrene. More than 50% hospital admissions for Diabetes are for Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU). Diabetic foot ulcers lead to five times increase in the cost of diabetes treatment and more importantly cause lower limb amputation. A patient of Diabetic Foot Infection (DFI) spends 50% of his annual income on the treatment. Every year 200000 patient of diabetes undergo higher level amputation. However the stark reality is that 85% of these amputations are completely preventable. In fact, Diabetes is the most common cause of leg amputations in the world and accidental trauma is distant second.

Unfortunately, the knowledge about diabetic foot complications is very scarce even amongst doctors and para-medical. Hence, It is the need of the hour to focus on this very aspect of diabetes especially preventive aspect so as to empower the patients themselves for “foot care”. The best way for patient education is the one that is in their own language. Therefore, Dr Ashu Rastogi, Associate Professor in the department of Endocrinology at PGIMER, Chandigarh took this onus and conceptualized and wrote the booklet titled “ Pada, Paduka and Aap” in Hindi in a very simple language for the better understanding of this severe disease.
The book focuses on “preventive aspect” of diabetic foot that details How to take care of foot in diabetes like washing of feet, nail cutting, etc? What should not be done for foot like self surgeries, warming foot in front of heater etc. The type of footwear for prevention of trauma to foot and foot ulcers is also presented with various pictorial representation for better understanding of common man. The book by Dr Ashu tells about various tests should be performed for early detection of foot abnormalities if a patient has diabetes. He has also stressed upon that if somebody has blockage in leg arteries, it is a indicator of high risk of heart attacks and need close evaluation of heart arteries as well. Hence “Foot is the mirror of Heart”.
The book is novel social initiative that shall be distributed free to all patients of diabetes by Dr Ashu Rastogi in the department of Endocrinology. The book is graciously forwarded by renowned social worker, philanthropist Padma Shree Shri R K Sabooji and also the President of Diabetic Foot Society of India, Professor Arun Bal, Mumbai. Director , PGIMER Prof Lal released the book for public and patients at large visiting PGI, Chandigarh.
This booklet by Dr Ashu Rastogi is an attempt to educate, empower and enhance the self care behavior of people with diabetes with the aim of prevention of leg Amputation.