From 20-24 November, the ICRC collaborated with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and Human Study, Germany, to hold a five-day workshop on ‘Diabetic Foot Basics’ at the Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya National Institute for Persons with Physical Disabilities (PDUNIPPD), New Delhi. 

The course was attended by 12 prosthetist-orthotists (P&O) senior practitioners from three national training institutes across India to build their capacity to manage diabetic foot complications. The onsite training was preceded by five weeks of online e-learning, followed by three months of follow-up and case presentation ending in February 2024. The trainers were a P&O expert from Human Study, Germany and a P&O Technical Coordinator from ICRC GVA.

The online training course was very helpful and covered the theoretical part and the practical sessions introduced appropriate technology for management of diabetic foot that can be applied across the national training institutes,” said a participant. 

The ICRC formed a group of experts in the field of diabetic foot management in 2020 along with D-Foot International, Geneva University Hospital and Université Numérique Francophone Mondiale using WHO guidelines and MSF training and developed a blended e-learning pathway comprising four steps with a global aim to create an interprofessional team providing care to persons with diabetes in conflict/LMICs. 

This pilot training in India covered one of the steps related to clinical hands-on workshops for P&Os in collaboration with Human Study, Germany. The training focused on the rehabilitation perspective, one of the first-of-its-kind, with an in-depth knowledge of foot assessment, manufacture of customized insoles and introduction to off-loading footwear. The Delhi Cabinet minister of Social Welfare attended the closing ceremony along with senior officials from the national training institute on 24th November.  

“I feel much better after receiving the device, and I hope it will help me be more active and prevent further complications.”, said a beneficiary at the workshop.

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