Nigeria accounts for 50% of global clubfoot cases
By Success Nwogu
President of the Nigeria Orthopaedic Association, Professor ‘Kunle Olawepo, on Wednesday, raised the alarm over high cases of clubfoot in the country.
He lamented that Nigeria alone has 50 per cent burden of the global cases, adding that urgent and pragmatic strategies must be adopted to stop the ugly development.
He explained that Nigeria alone annually accounts for 100,000 out of the 200,000 annual cases of clubfoot globally.
He also said that clubfoot is the most common musculoskeletal birth deformity, affecting 200,000 newborn babies (or 1 in every 1,000 live births) globally each year, and 80 percent in low and middle income countries of developing nations
He added that there are also hundreds of thousands of children and young adults who are living with this debilitating condition worldwide.
Olawepo, in a statement for the commemoration of World Clubfoot Day, further said that without treatment, the clubfoot deformity causes a lifetime of disability as the affected individual experiences pain and difficulty in walking.
He added that people with untreated clubfoot find it difficult to access education, employment and experience exclusion from society.
The NOA President explained that the objective of the World Clubfoot Day is to raise awareness about clubfoot as well as its treatment through the Ponseti method; a non-surgical treatment that involves the manipulation of the feet with application of plaster casts (POP) and temporary bracing.
Olawepo said, “Clubfoot is a congenital deformity; It is also known as Congenital Talipes EquinoVarus (CTEV) that can affect one foot or both. When it occurs the foot appears to have been rotated internally at the ankle. Clubfoot is a relatively common birth defect. It is treatable and with proper treatment the vast majority of children diagnosed with clubfoot recover completely.
“Clubfoot deformity is present at birth, caused by the abnormal development of a baby’s bones, ligaments and muscles whilst in the womb.
“It is the most common musculoskeletal birth deformity, affecting 200,000 newborn babies (or 1 in every 1,000 live births) globally each year, 80 percent in developing nations (low and middle income countries, LMIC). About 100,000 cases are reported in Nigeria annually. There are also hundreds of thousands of children and young adults who are living with this debilitating condition worldwide. Boys are about twice as likely to develop clubfoot than girls,”
He added, “ The prevention of clubfoot is avoid drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes as well as drugs not approved by a Doctor during pregnancy decreases the risk of developing Clubfoot.
“Pregnant women are admonished to register for and attend Ante-natal Care at every pregnancy. Parents should present babies delivered outside the hospital with obvious foot/feet deformities to the Doctor for proper assessment and treatment. Complete treatment may take a while, Patience in attending follow-up visits is important on the part of parents.
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“Health Education campaigns on print and electronic media to create awareness on this condition and that it is easily treatable. Provision of free Ante-natal care (ANC) to include all required medications during pregnancy. Provision of free treatment to babies born with clubfoot deformities for non-surgical as well as surgical treatment. Enactment of a law compelling parents to take Children with foot deformities to the hospital for treatment.
“Clubfoot deformities are fairly common in our environment. Early detection and commencement of treatment gives excellent outcome. Public awareness however needs to be improved upon even as we commemorate this day in 2021.”
