Eight international organisations have joined forces to establish the Global Alliance for Diabetic Foot Survival and Limb Preservation, aiming to make diabetic foot disease a greater priority in global and national health policies. The alliance was announced at the Diabetic Foot Society of India’s national conference in Bengaluru on October 2.
The founding organisations also signed a joint declaration calling for diabetic foot ulceration to be recognised as a global public health priority. The organisations include the Diabetic Foot Society of India, King’s College London, the International Association of Diabetic Foot Surgeons, D-Foot International, the Pan African Diabetic Foot Study Group, the American Limb Preservation Society, the International Federation of Podiatrists and the Podiatric Surgeons’ Society.
The alliance will focus on prevention, early detection, timely referral, multidisciplinary treatment, limb preservation and rehabilitation. It also plans to promote research, workforce training and comparable data collection while encouraging governments and the World Health Organization to give greater policy attention to diabetic foot disease.
The declaration also highlights care beyond wound healing, including survival, mobility, rehabilitation, protection of the remaining limb and quality of life after amputation. It calls for greater involvement of people living with diabetes and those affected by foot ulcers or amputation in programme design and decision-making.
A 2023 review cited in the alliance proposal estimated that around 18.6 million people worldwide develop diabetic foot ulcers annually. The proposal also notes substantial mortality following diabetic foot ulceration and major amputation.
The alliance’s proposed framework includes common indicators, baseline registries and regional programmes to improve monitoring and care. Its members are expected to work on governance, collaboration and implementation following the Bengaluru announcement.

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