Indian Podiatry Association to deliberate on Advance Diabetic Foot Care and Amputation Prevention!

Hyderabad, August 28, 2026: The Indian Podiatry Association (IPA) is set to host IPACON 2026, India’s largest congress dedicated to diabetic foot care and limb salvage, on August 29 and 30, at Firefox Sports and Resorts, Moinabad.
Hosted by the IPA – Telangana Chapter, the two-day National Congress will bring together more than 400 delegates, including diabetologists and endocrinologists, vascular and orthopaedic surgeons, plastic and reconstructive surgeons, infectious disease specialists, wound-care and rehabilitation professionals, podiatrists, foot-care specialists, researchers, academicians, students and allied healthcare professionals from across India and abroad.
With the theme “Redefining Diabetic Foot Care Through Prevention, Preservation and Regeneration,” IPACON 2026 will feature over 50 faculty members across 30 scientific sessions, providing a platform for clinicians and researchers to share advances, evidence-based practices and emerging technologies in diabetic foot management and limb preservation.
Speaking ahead of the Congress, Dr. A.P.S. Suri, Founder and National President, Indian Podiatry Association, said, The Indian Podiatry Association was formed in 2009 to address a major gap in diabetic foot care in India. On returning from the USA, where I trained in podiatry, I found that India had no dedicated podiatry departments despite a large and growing diabetic population. Our core mission is simple, to educate patients and train doctors to prevent avoidable limb amputations. Early identification and treatment are critical because diabetes can cause neuropathy, reducing pain sensation and allowing minor injuries, burns or wounds to go unnoticed. Poor healing and rapidly spreading infections can then lead to osteomyelitis, gangrene and, ultimately, amputation. Uncontrolled diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol and peripheral vascular disease further increase the risk. Early detection of vascular problems, wound care, infection control and timely intervention can save limbs. Since 2009, IPA has conducted workshops and training programmes across India and now has 21 state chapters. Telangana was its second state chapter, launched in 2019, with a dedicated team working to take diabetic-foot education to every district. This two-day conference brings together national and state faculty and doctors from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to share the latest advances in diabetic-foot management. Key areas include debridement, PRP, advanced dressings, offloading, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, stem-cell therapy, vascular interventions, physiotherapy and weight management. Our objective is to equip young doctors, surgeons and healthcare professionals with the latest knowledge so that more diabetic patients can retain their limbs and avoid amputation. Through the media, we also want to reach the message to the public, diabetic foot problems should never be ignored. Early diagnosis, proper care and timely referral can make the difference between saving a limb and losing it.
The scientific programme will cover the entire spectrum of diabetic foot and limb preservation, including diabetic foot reconstruction, revascularisation strategies and techniques, limb-salvage algorithms and protocols, regenerative wound healing and biological therapies, HBOT and adjunctive therapies, infection and osteomyelitis, antibiotic stewardship, offloading, gait and preventive podiatry, stem cells, PRP and dermal substitutes, advanced wound care and dressings, and amputation prevention and rehabilitation.
A key highlight of IPACON 2026 will be its hands-on workshops, designed to translate knowledge into clinical practice. The workshops will include international product demonstrations, advanced wound-healing techniques, total contact casting, debridement techniques, a wound-care masterclass and vascular workshops.
Dr. K.V.N.N. Santosh Murthy, State President, IPA – Telangana Chapter, said, In Telangana, leg amputations are becoming alarmingly common, almost as routine as removing an appendix. While an appendectomy is generally a straightforward procedure with little long-term impact on a person’s physical or mental well-being, losing a leg can profoundly alter a patient’s life, mobility, independence and psychological health. Despite this, there is a growing demand for amputations, with patients even reportedly waiting for the procedure. This raises an important question, are we doing the best for the patient by amputating, or are there better options? When a leg is injured or blood circulation is compromised, many people may believe that amputation is the only solution. However, advances in vascular and limb-salvage treatments can help restore blood flow to the affected limb and, in many cases, prevent amputation. This is precisely why conferences such as IPACON 2026 are important. They provide doctors with access to the latest knowledge, techniques and multidisciplinary approaches to save threatened limbs and improve patient outcomes. Across India, lakhs of people develop serious diabetic foot and limb problems every year, and the burden continues to rise with the increasing prevalence of diabetes. With timely diagnosis, appropriate vascular intervention, infection control and multidisciplinary care, thousands of these limbs can potentially be saved. If we are to prevent even 80,000 avoidable amputations, it will require greater awareness, more trained doctors, stronger multidisciplinary teams and wider access to limb-salvage treatment. This conference is not just about educating doctors. It is about ensuring that patients and society at large, know that amputation is not always inevitable. The message is simple, Save the limb. Save the life.
Dr David B. Alper, Member Board of Trustees at American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), USA, said, in just 20 minutes, five diabetes- and vascular disease-related amputations occur in both India and the United States. Within five years, nearly half of these patients may die from related complications. Most importantly, up to 85% of these amputations can be prevented through early detection and timely intervention. I commend President Suri, Dr. Murthy and the Indian Podiatry Association for promoting early podiatric care. Podiatrists play a crucial role in detecting problems early and ensuring timely referrals. Today, podiatrists, vascular surgeons and other specialists are working together more closely than ever. This multidisciplinary collaboration is the key to saving limbs and saving lives. This conference strengthens that shared mission by bringing together experts from India and abroad to exchange knowledge and advance limb-salvage care.
The Congress will also explore evidence-based practice and guidelines, research and innovation, rehabilitation and prosthetics, functional restoration, multidisciplinary team integration, infection control and antimicrobial stewardship, patient-centric care and emerging frontiers in diabetic foot management.
Dr. Reginold D. Lam, State Secretary, IPA – Telangana Chapter, said, Leg amputations are increasingly affecting people across society, with serious physical, psychological and financial consequences for patients and their families. Studies indicate that around 80% of people undergoing major amputation may die within five years, highlighting the urgency of prevention and early treatment. With modern limb-salvage techniques, the majority of threatened limbs can be preserved; amputation may be necessary only in advanced cases where no other option remains. Saving a limb means preserving mobility, livelihood, dignity and family well-being. This conference brings together experts from India and abroad to share the latest advances in diabetic-foot care and limb salvage. Our goal is to create awareness, reduce preventable amputations and save more limbs and lives.
The Congress will be inaugurated by P V Ramesh, Senior Retd. IAS Officer; and will be graced by  Naveen Yadav, MLA, Jubilee Hills; Dr. Gudugani Shridhar, Vice-Chairman, Telangana State Medical Council; Dr. A.P.S. Suri, Founder and National President, Indian Podiatry Association; Dr. K.V.N.N. Santosh Murthy, State President, IPA – Telangana Chapter; Dr. Reginold D. Lam, State Secretary, IPA – Telangana Chapter; Dr David B. Alper, Member Board of Trustees at American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), USA, who is visiting India for the first time; Dr. Gyaneshwar Atturu, Vascular Endovascular Surgeon, Medicover Hospitals; who is also the Scientific head for this event.