WCFD: Parents Urge to Seek Early Medical Care for Clubfoot as it is Correctable Deformity

Parents are urged to seek medical attention for their children born with a leg deformity known as clubfoot at an early stage to avoid complications.

A consultant orthopedic surgeon at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi, Dr. Ibrahim Shaphat, shared this information while speaking with newsmen on the 2024 World Clubfoot Day in Bauchi.

Dr. Shaphat explained that World Clubfoot Day is celebrated on June 3rd every year to raise awareness about clubfoot deformity in children, whose feet appear turned inward or downward. However, ATBUTH Bauchi chose to celebrate the day on Thursday to align with their weekly clinical sessions.

According to the health expert, this condition, which many children develop in the womb, can be corrected within five to six weeks before they start crawling if treated promptly.

He advised parents to bring their children with such conditions to the hospital as soon as possible to correct the abnormality while the tissues are still soft, rather than waiting for them to grow older.

Dr. Shaphat noted that treatment for the condition is provided by the hospital in collaboration with MiracleFeet International and Hands Organization, both NGOs, with services available every Thursday.

This year's activities for World Clubfoot Day include a road walk, radio programs, and various presentations.