RIYADH: Top Saudi medical institutions have come together to support diabetic patients and improve outcomes for those living with the chronic illness.
Diabetes is one of the Kingdom’s most significant public health challenges in the Kingdom, with many patients receiving care across Ministry of Health diabetic centers, according to the International Diabetes Federation.
Among them, complications remain a growing concern, particularly with diabetic foot, which is often associated with reduced blood circulation and underlying conditions such as peripheral artery disease.
Diabetic foot is one of the most serious complications of diabetes, often developing as a result of nerve damage and underlying vascular issues.
If left untreated, it can lead to foot ulcers, infections and, in advanced cases, lower-limb amputation.
In fact, diabetes patients are constantly at risk of diabetes-related amputations, with many experiencing lower-limb amputation as a result of disease progression and associated complications.
Beyond the human impact, the economic burden is also significant. Costs associated with diabetic foot care, which include ulcer care, wound management and amputations, place considerable strain on both patients and national healthcare systems.
To help tackle this problem, the Saudi Ministry of Health, the Saudi Interventional Radiology Society, the Saudi Diabetic Foot Association and Boston Scientific have come together to implement a program that supports diabetic patients in the Kingdom.
Following the memorandum of understanding signed last Monday, MOH, SIRS, DFA and Boston Scientific kicked off their collaboration through a new program called Walk Safe.
The two-year national program supports the Kingdom’s efforts to strengthen preventive and integrated healthcare, and improve quality of life for patients living with chronic disease, said a press release issued on Thursday.
“Through the early identification of diabetic foot risks, the diabetic foot national program, Walk Safe, aims to help address the high rate of diabetes-related amputations in the Kingdom,” said Dr. Hassan El-Shehri, president of the Saudi Interventional Radiology Society.
“This will be achieved by improving referral pathways for at-risk diabetic patients across the healthcare system,” he added.
As part of the collaboration, SIRS and DFA will play an integral role in facilitating coordination across key healthcare stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health and hospital leadership, while supporting hospital engagement during the training phase.
“The aim is to engage several Ministry of Health hospitals across the Kingdom, with plans to scale to more than 36 diabetes centers, seven of which also include diabetic foot centers,” said Abdullah Arabe, president of the Diabetic Foot Association.
“We aim to reach as many patients as possible within the Kingdom and ultimately reduce the rate of diabetic foot complications for patients living with diabetes,” he added.
Walk Safe is set to address this burden by supporting and improving how at-risk patients are identified and managed across the healthcare system. Walk Safe will support enhanced screening protocols at diabetes centers, with clinical experts contributing to the training of nursing teams in the screening process and clinical evaluation.
“Boston Scientific is proud to collaborate with healthcare stakeholders in supporting strategic and clinical implementation, contributing to integrated screening and awareness raising for patients,” said Saad Al-Sadhan, regional director of Boston Scientific in Saudi Arabia.
“As a global leader in minimally invasive technologies, we will also be sharing global best practices in vascular care and explore opportunities to support knowledge exchange and professional upskilling across the Kingdom,” he added.
The program aims to enhance patient outcomes, reduce amputation rates, improve longevity and increase quality of life, as well as optimize resource allocation across the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia.
