Chennai, 12th December 2023: In commemoration of International Day of Persons with Disability 2023 on December 03, M.V. Diabetes and Prof. M Viswanathan Diabetes Research Centre today hosted a grand event “Launch of MV SURGI BOOT”. MV SURGI BOOT is an indigenously developed offloading device in India aimed to provide a cost-effective Footwear to enhance wound healing in people with Diabetic Foot infections. The event was organized to create awareness for general foot care and the prevention of diabetes associated complications in feet among the public. As part of the event, the renowned institution proudly presented the results of the study done on people with Diabetic Foot infections/ wounds. The event was graced by the *Chief Guest Dr. J. Sangumani, Director of Medical Education (DME) & Research, Directorate of Medical Education, Chennai*.

The launch of MV SURGI BOOT is a key highlight of the event. This initiative underscores their unwavering commitment to the community by providing world class diabetic foot treatment and modern foot care devices at affordable cost for faster healing of wounds. This in turn helps saving limbs of several people affected with Diabetic foot infections.

*Dr. Vijay Viswanathan, Head & Chief Diabetologist at M.V. Diabetes* said, in a Pilot study the MV SURGI BOOT was compared with an international offloading device. This offloading device is useful in people who have an active foot ulcer including those with Charcot foot, The healing time was significantly reduced, and the size of the ulcer was also significantly reduced in the group where MV SURGI BOOT was used.

Chief Guest Dr. J. Sangumani, Director of Medical Education (DME) & Research, Directorate of Medical Education, Chennai said that this new offloading device developed by MV Diabetes in their in-house manufacturing unit will be very beneficial for Indians due to its low cost and enhanced healing time.

For nearly three decades, M.V. Diabetes and Prof. M Viswanathan Research Centre have been at the forefront of efforts to address the root causes of diabetes, concentrating their efforts on the complications of Diabetes and specifically Diabetic Foot complications. Recognizing the higher incidence of these conditions in people with Diabetes and the disabilities caused due to amputations, prolonged hospitalizations for wound healing etc. the Institute has been continuously focusing on newer methods and sophisticated techniques to prevent and treat the Diabetic Foot complications. The first initiative was to provide Diabetic Footwear for people with mild neuropathy, later started designing Designer footwear which can be worn regularly and hence prevent further diabetic foot conditions. The in-house manufacturing unit prepares several kinds of customized footwear as well.