World Clubfoot Day: deformity treatable if presented early
A former Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu on Friday said that clubfoot was curable if detected and presented early at the hospital. Chukwu, who was a guest speaker, disclosed this at the International Conference on Clubfoot held at the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC) Ebute Metta, Lagos.
The programme was organised by the Paediatric Orthopedic Society of Nigeria (POSON), to commemorate the World Clubfoot Day. The theme of this year’s celebration marked every June 3 globally, is “Universal Clubfoot Coverage: Everyone, Everywhere”. Clubfoot is a range of foot abnormalities usually present at birth, in which a baby’s foot is twisted out of shape or position.
“Clubfoot is inborn and nobody knows what causes it, they are deformities a child comes into the world with and sometimes affect either one or both foot of a child. The good thing is that research on this deformities are still ongoing and it is treatable and curable when presented early.
“What the government has done so far is approving the method of handling people with clubfoot, entered a memorandum of understanding with the Nigeria Clubfoot Programme and offering technical support. The government can do more by spending money on the various facilities where these deformities are being treated and in the areas of training,” Chukwu said.
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On ways of treatment of Clubfoot, Chukwu who is also an orthopedic surgeon, noted that the Ponseti method was the most effective system of treatment and was being practised in almost all the treatment centres in Nigeria. He said that the advantage of the Ponseti method was basically 90 per cent non-operative, very effective, less complications and cheap.
Also, Dr Salihu Muhammed, the President, Nigeria Orthopedic Association, said the programme was organised to create more awareness about clubfoot in the country. Prof. Olayinka Adegbehingbe, the President, POSON said over 10,000 patients had been treated across the country . Adegbehingbe said it was made possible due to the introduction of the Ponseti method of treatment which was introduced to the country in 2007.
Also, the Medical Director, FMC, Dr Adedamola Dada said that clubfoot was quite common but the good news was that it was eminently treatable. Dada said the major challenge was that many people did not know that it was treatable. He said about 80 per cent of cases detected did not need surgical intervention and that it was part of what the association was doing.
He said that the aim was to increase the awareness of Nigerians and let them know that the deformity could be treated and the children could become normal like any other children and be able to walk without problem. Dada said the prevalence varies from country to country, community to community and towns to towns but did not know that it was common.
He said that the best time to pick it up was at delivery and commence treatment immediately. It it is important that the midwives were being educated and those who took deliveries of babies that such children be examined at birth and referred to the appropriate centre, he added.
(NAN)
