Australia's diabetes crisis looms as disease claims 4,400 amputations each year

Australia is facing a national emergency in its fight against diabetes after new data revealed more than 4,400 amputations related to the disease were carried out each year.

In what is being called Australia's "diabetes crisis," the new statistics revealed that 12 amputations were performed each day on diabetes sufferers at hospitals across the nation, costing the healthcare system hundreds of millions of dollars each year.

At the launch of Australia's National Diabetes Week initiative in Melbourne on Sunday evening, Diabetes Australia chief executive Greg Johnson said the country must start to take the disease seriously.

"Australia's health system is struggling to manage the growing burden of chronic disease, most notably type 2 diabetes, and the fact that there are more than 4,400 diabetes-related amputations in Australia every year as a result of diabetes underlines how critical this issue is," Johnson said.

"Experts estimate that spending on diabetes-related amputations, and other costs related to diabetic foot disease, costs Australia around 875 million dollars every single year.

"Worryingly, surveys show that the general public underestimates the seriousness of diabetes and most people aren't aware of the connection between diabetes and amputations."

The new statistics were published in the Australian Atlas of Healthcare Variation.

Johnson revealed there were 10,000 hospital admissions for diabetes-related foot ulcers each year, with 85 percent of those amputations preventable if detected early and managed appropriately.

Almost all diabetes-related amputations start as sores or ulcers on the foot. According to doctors, diabetes sufferers should have their feet checked twice a year to ensure they don't risk getting their limbs amputated.

Johnson called on the federal government to work with the state governments to take urgent action on this national emergency.

"The next Federal Government should work with State and Territory Governments to establish and fund a Taskforce dedicated to leading and directing the initiative," he said.

"Diabetes amputation prevention has to be a priority for every Primary Health Network in Australia." Endit