Guyana
About our work
MiracleFeet program staff and Guyana’s Ministry of Health (MOH) collaborated heavily to initiate a clubfoot program in Guyana. The MOH signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to affirm the country’s commitment to securing resources for quality clubfoot treatment such as plasters, padding, and other casting materials. MiracleFeet’s partner in the region, the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Center, was recommended by officials at the MOH.
Dr. Telmo Tapia and Dr. Gibran Mancheno of Ecuador conducted an ACT basic training in August 2022 with 11 participants from different regions of Guyana to ensure countrywide clubfoot care.
Since there has never been a cohesive clubfoot treatment campaign, currently only 25% of children enrolled are under 12 months of age as most of the cases being treated are late presenting. This will change quickly as the program develops and as more families are made aware of treatment availability.
Before MiracleFeet’s involvement, access to quality Ponseti treatment was limited to those living in Guyana’s capital city, Georgetown, and the surrounding areas. Those living in the country’s hinterland region have limited access to resources and transportation making it difficult to seek treatment. Eighty percent of Guyana is undeveloped jungle so transportation can be extremely difficult for families.
In the early stages of the Guyana program, support from the MOH has been paramount in MiracleFeet’s advocacy and awareness efforts. The MOH has aided MiracleFeet in the selection of medical professionals for Ponseti method training and has dedicated substantial resources to community relations and awareness of quality clubfoot treatment. This partnership also has the potential to open doors to expansion to other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries.
Much of MiracleFeet’s initial focus in Guyana will be on transportation and treatment access to those living in remote areas of the country where resources to travel to the capital city for treatment are scarce. These could include travel subsidies and even a mobile vehicle to transport patients to and from clinic visits.