$2.8 million diabetes funding boost to fight amputations, blindness

The Coalition government has announced it will give a $2.8 million funding boost to tackle diabetes-related foot and eye issues that can cause amputations and blindness.

The funding will be split between $1.5 million for the KeepSight program that reminds people with diabetes to get their eyes checked regularly and $1.3 million for the development of a program to help diabetics identify feet problems caused by the condition and find treatment.

Professor Greg Johnson, chief executive of Diabetes Australia, said the money was desperately needed to help manage a disease that causes thousands of preventable amputations annually and is the leading cause of blindness in working age Australians.

Each year, Professor Johnson said, about 4400 people have to undergo an amputation as a result of issues caused by diabetes.

Source: Smh.com.au

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