Lynch: 50% of diabetes-related amputations preventable
The Government is being told that half of the amputations carried out as a result of diabetes are preventable if proper services are put in place.
TD's, Senators and staff at Leinster House are today being screened for the disease as part of Diabetes Prevention week.
Around 300 people a year lose feet or legs as a result of the disease.
Cork TD Ciaran Lynch said if a proper podiatry service was put in place 50% of these could be avoided.
Mr Lynch said: "There is a pilot programme taking place in Galway at this moment in time that will hopefully lead the way as to what the full construction services will be.
"There are podiatry services out there, they're very much few and far between and they're very much based on a geographical basis".
"If you're living in Dublin, obviously you'll get a quality service, or better service; but if you're living in other parts of the country that service may be quite poor or non-existent."
