Diabetes related amputation tops the surgeries which are conducted at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva annually.
CWM Hospital’s surgical registrar Dr Timoci Qereqeretabua says due to the rise in diabetes cases over the years, they have even allocated an operating theatre for amputation cases only.
He says every eight hours one person undergoes surgeries so that their infected limbs can be amputated because of diabetes.
“Diabetic related surgeries account to almost 40-50 percent of our work in the operating theater. Our surgical bed occupancy rate accounts to almost 40 percent of our bed occupancy rate.”
He says as a surgeon he does not like cutting off people’s limbs but is forced to do so as people are still not taking good care of their health.
He urges people to make healthier food choices and indulge in regular exercise to keep themselves healthy.
