Diabetes Amputations

Diabetic amputations 40 percent of all Fiji surgery

Eddie McCaig said half the estimated 60,000 people in Fiji with diabetes did not realise they had the illness because they ignored early signs like thirst and excessive urination.

Fiji can't afford the high cost of the amputations, as well as eye surgery and kidney failure caused by diabetes, he said.

"What I keep reminding people is that when we get to see them, we have no option but to cut the limb off," Prof McCaig said.

"When we say 'one amputation every twelve hours', about 40 per cent of the surgery done in this country is for amputation," he said.