Katsina, foundation partner to eradicate clubfoot amongst children

The Katsina State Government and Women and Children Health Empowerment Foundation (WACHEF) have partnered to eradicate cases of Clubfoot among children in the state.

The state Commissioner for Health, Mr Musa Adamu-Funtua, on Tuesday in Katsina, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the foundation, on behalf of the state government.

A medical/health website, the Mayo Clinic (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/clubfoot/symptoms-causes/syc-20350860), described Clubfoot as a condition present at birth in which a baby’s foot is pointed in and down.

The tissues connecting the muscles to the bone are called tendons. In clubfoot, the tendons are shorter than usual, pulling the foot out of position, it said.

Adamu-Funtuw said the partnership would scale up access to care and integrate clubfoot treatment into routine child health services in the state.

He said that the MoU underscored the state government’s commitment to eradicating cases of clubfoot amongst children and integration of its treatment into the state’s routine child healthcare services.

According to him, the government will support WACHEF in implementing the clubfoot programme across the state and ensure its sustainability in order to eliminate the untreated clubfoot cases faced by children.

The commissioner urged MACHEF and its implementing partners to work within the rules and regulations encapsulated in the MoU because no child deserves to live with a disability that can be treated.

Earlier, the Project Coordinator of MACHEF, Babale Gambo-Maikidi, said the programme, initially implemented in Kano and Taraba States, was introduced in Katsina due to the alarming cases of clubfoot.

The Coordinator further said that in Katsina, the clubfoot programme was currently being implemented in General Hospital Funtua, and General Amadi Rimi Orthopedic Hospital in Katsina.

According to Gambo-Maikidi, plans were ongoing to open another treatment centre in Daura.

He added that 20 cases of clubfoot have been identified by the WACHEF in one activity in General Hospital Funtua and the organisation had commenced treatment.

“The clubfoot programme was initially run across Kano, Taraba and other states.

“But when we look at the number of patients in Kano, especially Orthopedic Hospital Dala, and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospitals, most of them were from Katsina.

“This sends a signal that there are clubfoot cases in Katsina, and there is no clinic to provide such services to them, that is why they are going to Kano.

“So, we ventured into Katsina with the hope of opening new clinics in Katsina, Funtua and Daura,” he said.