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‘Don’t stigmatise children with clubfoot’
Healthworkers at 37 Military Hospital attending to a child with clubfoot
The Head of Orthopaedics and Trauma Unit at the 37 Military Hospital, Lt. Col. Delali Adzigbli, has advised the public not to stigmatise mothers who give birth to babies with clubfoot.
Describing clubfoot as a “spontaneous deformity”, he said the condition did not affect only the poor neither was it a fault from the baby or mother, therefore, “there is no reason anybody should be stigmatised.”
He said the condition was treated free of charge and children could grow up to live normal lives, hence money should not be an impediment to anyone seeking treatment for the condition.
“When the baby is born, the tissues are very soft so they respond very well to manipulation and as they mature, they are able to stretch out and allow the feet to assume their natural position and that is the aim of the treatment,” he stated.
Lt. Col Adzigbli made the remarks last Thursday when the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) and Hope Walks, a non-governmental organisation, collaborated with the 37 Military Hospital to mark this year’s World Clubfoot Day.
“Clubfoot is a birth defect in which one or both feet of a child is/are twisted inwards and downwards. About one in 1,000 babies born in Ghana have the deformity.
The commemoration was to create awareness and provide treatment for children with the condition. About 15 children born with clubfoot at different stages of treatment were attended to by health workers at Osei Kwame Despite Block at the 37 Military Hospital.
Lt. Col Adzigbli, explaining the treatment process, noted that an assessment was done to determine the severity of deformity before it was corrected stage by stage.
He said early detection was appropriate but the condition could still be corrected if the child was older. “The earlier treatment is started, the better”, he said.
Pastor Joseph Andrews, Parent Advisor at the Osei Kwame Despite Block at the 37 Millitary Hospital, also debunked myths associated with clubfoot and asked parents not to fret when they saw signs of the condition in new borns.
“It is a sickness like polio, chickenpox or measles, it affects everyone so don’t hide your baby; just come out and receive treatment,” he said.
Nana Afua Adutwumaa Adjeitey, Programme Manager CHAG/Hope Walks, was impressed with the awareness and the impact the organisation continued to make.
She said the organisation would intensify education and continue to support treatment for clubfoot.
Ms. Esther Esi Gyekye, Clinic Supervisor at the Children’s Block, indicated that about 30 cases of clubfoot were being managed at the facility and more parents were turning up with their wards for treatment.
Apart from the 37 Military Hospital, treatment for clubfoot is available free of charge on selected days at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, St. John of God Hospital, Duayaw-Nkwanta, Bono Ahafo, SDA Hospital, Kwadaso, Kumasi, every Friday and SDA Hospital, Gbawe, Accra.
By Ernest Nutsugah
Massive celebrations were recorded countrywide as the Black Stars opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi scored the only goal of the match late in the game as he shot in a decent cross from substitute Brandon Asante.
The win gave Ghana a positive start in the competition, placing them in second position behind England, also with three points but with a superior goal aggregate.
After the final whistle, the streets and other viewing centres were turned into partying grounds as fans, mostly clad in the team’s paraphernalia, danced to several World Cup-themed music.
Others blew the vuvuzelas in joyous mood with others putting up a spirited ‘jama’ session.
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Adentan Constituency, Akosua Manu, has urged party members to move away from what she describes as an “entitlement mentality” and focus on unity, sacrifice and hard work as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.
In a statement titled “Is Loyalty a Queue?”, and posted on facebook, Ms. Manu argued that loyalty to the NPP should not be judged by how long a person has been in the party but by their contributions and commitment to its growth.
According to her, the NPP’s history shows that many of its leaders faced significant opposition from within the party before eventually leading it to electoral success.
She cited former President John Agyekum Kufuor as an example, saying he had to overcome resistance from influential figures within the party before winning power for the NPP in 2000.
Ms. Manu noted that after the party lost power in 2008, former President Kufuor faced criticism and accusations from some party members.
However, she said supporters eventually put their differences aside and worked together to rebuild the party.
She pointed to the experience of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, according to her, faced opposition from some factions within the NPP despite his long service to the party.
“His trials were ten times what Kufuor endured,” she stated, adding that Akufo-Addo eventually overcame the challenges and became President of Ghana.
Turning to the NPP’s current flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ms. Manu said he also faced resistance from different groups within the party while seeking leadership.
She praised Dr. Bawumia for contributing to policy-based political discussions in Ghana and for remaining composed following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to her, party members must now rally behind him in the same way they supported former Presidents Kufuor and Akufo-Addo.
Ms. Manu, however, warned that internal divisions and a sense of entitlement remain major threats to the party’s future.
She argued that some party members place too much emphasis on how long individuals have belonged to the NPP rather than on their contributions and capabilities.
“This entitlement does not question impact. It does not ask what you sacrificed or what you built. It asks only how long have you been here,” she said.
The former parliamentary candidate cautioned that such attitudes could discourage committed members and prevent the party from selecting the best people for leadership positions.
She further called on the party’s incoming national executives to strengthen the NPP’s core values of sacrifice, honesty, integrity and dedication to national development.
Ms. Manu addressed the concerns of young party supporters, many of whom she said became discouraged following the NPP’s electoral defeat in 2024.
According to her, many young people remain eager to see the party return to power but are unwilling to support internal conflicts driven by personal ambitions.
She urged party elders to place the interests of the NPP above their individual goals and to demonstrate leadership that attracts rather than alienates members.
“The NPP is bigger than any one of us. It always has been. Our collective responsibility is to act like it,” she stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
