Côte d’Ivoire
About our work
Côte d’Ivoire estimates over 1,200 cases of clubfoot annually. The country is divided into 33 regions and 113 health districts, and is one of the three countries supported by our GiveWell grant. Access to clubfoot treatment in Côte d’Ivoire has been limited by social, financial, and geographical barriers, as well as scarcity of treatment centers.
Our program, launched in January 2024, currently provides support to six regions: Abidjan, Haut Sassandra, San Pedro, Nawa, Indenie Djuablin, and Marahoue. Through our partnership, clubfoot across the country clinics will improve treatment accessibility, especially for vulnerable population groups. Early identification training, awareness raising, and advocacy activities will also aid in changing socio-cultural myths in rural areas that are often linked to children with clubfoot.
Specific program objectives in Côte d’Ivoire include:
- Equip participating health facilities and their staff to provide high-quality treatment to children through basic and advanced Ponseti trainings, ACT and CAST trainings, provision of equipment and material, followed by scheduled supervisory visits to supported clinics
- Establish referral links between the community and clubfoot clinics to promote early detection and treatment of babies born with clubfoot
- Map out areas of growth and integrate the clubfoot program’s activities into our partner, Santé Espoir Vie – Côte d’Ivoire’s, organizational strategic plan and online presence.
- Collaborate with the association of physiotherapists, midwives, orthopedists, pediatricians, and pediatric surgeons at the district, regional, and national level for EDR trainings, project buying and cost-effective implementation
- Build and strengthen awareness strategies and early detection and referral (EDR) pathways as well as community engagement tools such as door-to-door sensitizations, parental education sessions, distribution of print advocacy materials, and radio transmissions in local languages
- Integrate clubfoot program activities into existing public health programs by working closely with Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Health through a Clubfoot Technical working group for implementation monitoring and support
- Strengthen program outcomes by monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on program activities.
Our partners
MiracleFeet has two in-country partners in Côte d’Ivoire: Santé Espoir Vie – Côte d’Ivoire (SEV-CI) and Initiative Développement Environnement Afrique Libre International (IDEAL INTER).
SEV-CI is a distinguished public health-focused organization established in 2012 located in Abidjan that exhibits commendable dedication to addressing critical health issues such as HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis, and maternal and childcare-related issues, with an emphasis on increasing access to quality services. With experience in health system strengthening, a robust network of community structures and leaders, quality system of monitoring and evaluation, and a vigorous governance system in place, SEV-CI is a strong partner whose interest in delivering high-quality clubfoot care aligns with MiracleFeet’s mission to expand care to every child who needs it. By leveraging its strong community presence, SEV-CI is poised to effectively extend our reach, especially to vulnerable children and their families.
Created in 2000, the goal of IDEAL INTER is to improve the lives of vulnerable populations without discrimination. Headquartered in Korhogo, IDEAL INTER implements community health projects in several health districts, mainly located in the center and the northern parts of the country. Their vision is a world where everyone has access to basic social and health services, which aligns with the MiracleFeet’s mission to ensure clubfoot treatment is available for all families in need. In collaboration with MiracleFeet and other National key stakeholders, IDEAL INTER will implement a strong community-based program to treat clubfoot in the targeted areas with plans to expand in the coming years.