World Clubfoot Day 2023 Commemorated across the National Territory
The Coordinator of the Cameroon Clubfoot Care Project has implored parents of children with clubfoot undergoing treatment in the clubfoot clinics in Cameroon to adhere to treatment in order to achieve good treatment outcomes. Tamon James was speaking in Foumban District Hospital during the commemoration of the 2023 World Clubfoot Day. The event was commemorated on June 3, 2023, in 17 clubfoot clinics in six regions of Cameroon under the theme “Early identification and adherence to treatment”.
The Cameroon Clubfoot Care Project Coordination team led by the Project Coordinator joined the clinic staff of Bafoussam Regional Hospital, Ngounsou Baptist Health Center, and Foumban District Hospital to commemorate the event in the Foumban District Hospital.
Speaking during the event, Tamon James told parents that if they had to pay for clubfoot treatment, it will be very expensive, but thanks to support from CBM, clubfoot treatment is subsidized at a minimal cost. He applauded the hospital for collaborating with the Ministry of Public Health in treating clubfoot in the District. He noted that a lot of importance is attached to the District hospital reason why the coordination team decided to join them in commemorating the event. The Cameroon Clubfoot Care Project Coordinator recognized the commitment of the clinic staff in the three clubfoot clinics in the West Region for their commitment in treating clubfoot
Earlier in a welcome remark, the Chief of Services for Public Health in Foumban District Hospital and Senior Public Health Administrator, Dr. Hene Felix applauded the partnership between the CBC Health Services and the Foumban District Hospital. He noted that, because of the partnership, a clubfoot clinic has been established in the District, the clinic staff have received training on clubfoot treatment using the Ponseti method and consumables are always supplied to the District to enable them to treat children at a reduced cost. Dr. Hene called on the population of Noun Division to take advantage of the clubfoot services in the District and get their children with clubfoot treated.
On his part, the General Supervisor of Foumban District Hospital, Mr. Seidou Seiadous disclosed that 74 children with clubfoot are currently undergoing treatment since 2020 with many of them recording successful treatment outcomes. He said clubfoot services in the hospital are timely given that the prevalence of clubfoot cases in the Noun Division is on the increase.
Given that Muslims dominate Foumban, many of them have braved their cultural belief of seeing children with clubfoot as a witch to access treatment in the hospital. During the commemoration, some of the parents turned out to join the clinic staff in celebrating the successful treatment of their children as well as raising awareness of clubfoot deformity and its treatment.
Njoyah Merriam is a mother of a child with clubfoot who has seen the feet of her child deformed because he started treatment with a traditional doctor. She explained how the feet of her son were burnt with a hot cutlass as a way of treating them. Madam Njoyah is a happy woman today as she expressed that thanks to the Foumban District Hospital her son’s feet have been treated as he can now walk and play like his peers.
The commemoration was characterized by awareness raising in schools, hospitals, and social gatherings by clinic staff, project staff and field workers across Cameroon. The event was organized in Cameroon by the Ministry of Public Health in collaboration with the CBC Health Services and supported by CBM.