The Tamil Nadu chapter of the Diabetic Foot Society of India (DFSI) was inaugurated in Chennai on Friday, with specialists emphasising the need for greater awareness and early intervention to prevent diabetes-related foot complications and amputations.The inauguration ceremony was hosted by Dr. RK Diabetic Foot and Podiatry Institute and the Rakesh Jhunjhunwala Amputation Prevention Center.Life-threatening conditionAddressing the gathering, V.B. Narayanamurthy, president of the Diabetic Foot Society of India, said diabetic foot disease was once regarded merely as a complication of diabetes, but is now recognised as a condition that can threaten life itself. Survival outcomes in severe diabetic foot disease can be as poor as those seen in some cancers, he said.Top prioritiesHe said the T.N. chapter would focus on two priorities: preventing avoidable amputations and ensuring that diabetic foot disease is identified and managed before it progresses to life-threatening stages.The chapter also plans to conduct conferences and educational programmes to train primary care physicians and surgeons in the prevention and management of diabetic foot complications. “Patients should not only be protected from losing limbs, but also from the serious consequences that threaten survival,” he said. Published - June 13, 2026 12:56 am IST