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