Diabetes has been identified as a leading cause of disability in Tanzania, surpassing other factors contributing to limb amputations.
This is because many people suffering from diabetes undergo limb amputation and are fitted with prosthetic limbs.
About 60 percent of all amputations involve diabetic patients, with 100 percent of amputees requiring prosthetic limbs.
These revelations were made by a Prosthetics and Assistive Devices Specialist at CCBRT Hospital, Donald Mchihiyo, during an interview with The Citizen recently.
“Excluding the 60 percent of elderly diabetic patients, the remaining 40 percent amputations result from birth defects and accidents,” Mr Mchihiyo.
He further detailed that 35 percent of this 40 percent consists of young people aged between 20 and 45 who lose limbs due to accidents, while 5 percent are those born with congenital disabilities.
“Most of the accidents leading to amputations occur in industries and through motorcycle (bodaboda) crashes, which account for 35 percent of the percentage,” he said.
By
The Editor
