‘Amputations due to diabetes not end of life’

 More education and sensitisation on the management of diabetes must be carried out to put the minds of patients at rest, especially for those who may need or suffer am­putation along the line, an advocate has said.

Mr Camillus Maalneriba Tia Sakzee­si, a diabetic patient, who made the call, indicated that some patients get so worried and refuse amputation for fear of the unknown and how to cope with the situation.

Mr Sakzeesi, who lost his right leg to diabetes, encouraged other pa­tients who suffer the same fate not to see their situation as the end of the world, but rather psych themselves and make the best out of life.

Sharing his experience with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr Sakzeesi said being amputated was not the issue, but how to manage the aftermath was what affects most victims.

He said initially when he was told about the amputation, he was alarmed and became worried, saying, “Initially, I felt alarmed because I had no trace, and all of a sudden, I was diagnosed, and amputation was the only solution.”

He added that he started psych­ing himself that anything could hap­pen, and resorted to reading a lot of materials on the condition, making him well-informed and prepared for what was ahead after the amputa­tion.

Mr Sakzeesi stated that “my am­putation did not change much in my life. Sometimes, for fear of friends and relations abandoning the patient after amputation, most patients go into psychological distress when they’re informed about amputation.”

He encouraged families and friends to provide the needed sup­port to such patients, while calling on health practitioners to give dia­betic patients scheduled for amputa­tion, proper counselling before and after to be able to cope with their new life.

He commended his family and friends for their support, indicating that without them he would not have been able to live a normal life after the amputation.

Mr Sakzeesi, a member of the Ghana China Friendship Association, commended a Chinese lawyer who made it possible for him to get care and an amputa­tion, adding that he, together with the association, also ensured that he had a prosthetic leg to aid in his move­ment. —GNA