Treatment of clubfoot: Rehabilitation and health professionals strengthen their capacities

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Extract from the article: A dozen health professionals (doctors, surgeons, ortho-prosthetists, physiotherapists and block aids) from different regions of Togo took part, on 14 and 15 February 2023, at the National Orthopaedic Fitting Centre (CNAO) in Lomé, in a

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A dozen health professionals (doctors, surgeons, ortho-prosthetists, physiotherapists and block aids) from different regions of Togo took part, on 14 and 15 February 2023, at the National Orthopaedic Fitting Centre (CNAO) in Lomé, in a training workshop on the treatment and early management of clubfoot. The objective is to strengthen the skills of participants for better management of this condition in children using the PONSETI method. The work was launched by Innocent Lakna, Director of CNAO-Lomé.

Also known as varus equinus, clubfoot is a developmental anomaly of the foot that occurs during the foetal period. « Clubfoot is a malformation of the foot. Several deformities are described in this deformity. These are Cavus, Adductus, Varus and Equinus. These are technical terms to explain the deformities found in this malformation that is clubfoot », explains Dr Sesimé Sanni, a paediatric surgeon at the CHP Aného, one of the trainers. In Togo, this malformation affects an average of 1 baby out of 1000 births. Since 2011, the treatment of clubfoot in children is provided by the CNAO clinic in Lomé and ten other clinics throughout the country.

During two days, participants were equipped on the disease, the basics of treatment by the Ponseti method. A method that consists in placing a series of plaster for correction. Dr. Hamadi Arama, one of the trainers from Mali, said that this technique is recognised by international health authorities as an effective treatment for the correction of club feet, and allows children to recover normal feet.

For the director of the CNAO-Lomé, Innocent Lakna, this is a retraining of these rehabilitation professionals, in order to review all the theoretical knowledge and improve their daily practices in the care of children with clubfoot by the PONSETI method. This is to ensure quality and safety in the care of children with clubfoot.  At the end of the training, the participants, like Moussa Sanda, a physiotherapist at the CRAO-Dapaong and Justine Kantouti, a physiotherapist at the Don Orione Centre in Bombouaka, appreciated and expressed their complete satisfaction with the different notions and manipulations involved in the management of the pathology.

The workshop was financially supported by Miraclefeet. The meeting was part of the programme to support health centres in the early management of clubfoot.

Arnaud KONDO