11th Train the Foot Trainer

Every 20 seconds, a lower limb is lost somewhere in the world due to diabetes—a sobering statistic that could be significantly reduced through simple interventions and fundamental diabetic foot care education. Recognizing the dire need for trained healthcare workers in this field, the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot launched the “Step by Step” (SbS) training course in 2003, which evolved into the “Train the Foot Trainer” (TtFT) program.

The 11th TtFT was recently hosted for the African Region’s English-speaking countries, bringing together 16 pairs of doctors and nurses from 12 different countries. The program focused on enhancing clinical and educational skills in diabetes-related foot care. Key areas included course structure, teaching methods, evaluation techniques, data collection, networking, and optimizing resources—all aimed at preventing lower limb amputations across the continent.

Esteemed faculty members such as Prof. Z.G. Abbas (President of D-Foot International), Prof. Harikrishna K.R. Nair (President-elect of D-Foot International and President of the World Union of Wound Healing Societies), Prof. Frances Game (Chairperson of IWGDF), Prof. Zahid Miyan, and Dr. Faraja Chiwanga provided invaluable insights. Their expertise empowered participants to implement effective diabetic foot care strategies in their respective countries, marking a significant stride toward reducing diabetes-related amputations in Africa.

We are grateful to Getz Pharma and Planet Pharmaceutical for their generous sponsorship, which made this impactful program possible.