Clubfoot: Importance of Early Detection
The time has come for the maternal and newborn health community to prioritize congenital anomalies.
Clubfoot is one of the most common birth defects and a major cause of physical disability globally. The vast majority of cases are diagnosed at birth and occur in otherwise healthy babies. Clubfoot is easily identifiable by the way the feet face inward and downward. Left untreated, this disability makes walking extremely difficult and painful.
Screening, referral, and treatment of congenital anomalies in the newborn period can save and improve lives
To improve survival and well-being of newborns with congenital anomalies, health systems must offer integrated services to millions of affected children and their families
To achieve the promise of the SDGs to “Leave No One Behind,” we need action-oriented plans that give every newborn a chance to survive and thrive.
Clubfoot, a common congenital anomaly, offers a case study of the integration of the care of congenital anomalies into health systems.
Worldwide, clubfoot affects approximately 200,000 newborns every year (1 in 800).
90% of newborns with clubfoot are born in LMICs and 85% do not have access to proper treatment.
Idiopathic clubfoot is treatable in 95% of cases. Starting treatment shortly after birth gives children the best chance to lead a disability-free life.
Without treatment, children face severe disability, stigma, and discrimination; are less likely to enjoy the benefits of education and healthcare; and are at a much higher risk of neglect, poverty, and abuse.
What do we need?
To achieve Universal Health Coverage, the global health community—and the maternal newborn health communities in particular—need to prioritize the prevention and care of congenital anomalies. For clubfoot specifically this means:
- Improving access to evidence-based treatment for every newborn with clubfoot.
- Integrating clubfoot screening and treatment into government led MNCH policies, plans as an essential neonatal and child health service.
- Developing and implementing guidelines for surveillance, screening, referral, and treatment of every newborn with clubfoot.
- Strengthening maternal and newborn health programs and services at all levels.
- Ensuring training of health professionals in early detection and treatment of clubfoot.
- Promoting respectful and compassionate treatment and services for babies born with congenital anomalies and their families.
MiracleFeet is on a mission to ensure that all newborns with clubfoot receive treatment.
To promote lasting and sustainable change, MiracleFeet seeks to integrate clubfoot programs in local health systems by:
- Securing endorsement and support from Ministries of Health.
- Embedding clubfoot management into the existing public health infrastructure to ensure long-term sustainability.
MiracleFeet partners with stakeholders at the national and international level to bring nonsurgical Ponseti treatment to newborns across the globe. MiracleFeet and its partners are continually working to expand access to clubfoot treatment by:
- Creating early diagnosis and referral pathways.
- Raising clubfoot awareness.
- Expanding the training of healthcare workers and networks of clubfoot clinics to improve access to treatment.
- Closely monitoring and supporting clubfoot clinics in improving the quality of care.
Let's Join Forces
Together, we can give every newborn with clubfoot a chance to thrive.
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