World Clubfoot Day: Health advocates call for increased awareness, timely treatment of patients

As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to commemorate the 2025 World Clubfoot Day, health advocates have raised concerns about the country’s slow progress in providing timely treatment for children born with the condition.

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In a statement to commemorate the day, MiracleFeet, an international organisation, focused on eliminating untreated clubfoot, said despite ongoing efforts by civil society and public hospitals, thousands of Nigerian children are still at risk of preventable disability.

They are urging federal and state authorities to scale up access to care and integrate clubfoot treatment into routine child health services.

Clubfoot is a condition where a baby is born with one or both feet turned inward or downward. Without treatment, it can lead to permanent physical disability, limiting mobility and causing long-term social and economic challenges for affected children.

Each year, around 10,000 children are born with clubfoot in Nigeria, according to the organisation.

Globally, the figure stands at 200,000, with about 90 per cent of cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries.

World Clubfoot Day is observed annually on 3 June to raise awareness about clubfoot. The day also celebrates the achievements in clubfoot treatment and honours the work of those involved in caring for children with clubfoot.

Improving treatment access

Medical professionals widely agree that clubfoot is treatable if detected early.

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The Ponseti treatment method, a non-surgical technique involving casting, bracing, and minor procedures, can correct the condition in over 95 per cent of cases.

It is also considered affordable and suitable for use in low-resource settings.

In Nigeria, MiracleFeet has supported clubfoot treatment since 2018 through partnerships with five local organisations such as The Straight Child Foundation (TSCF), Health and Development Support Programme (HANDS), Positive Care and Development Foundation (PCDF), Women and Children Health Empowerment Foundation(WACHEF), and PLAN Foundation (PLAN Foundation).

According to MiracleFeet, these implementing partners have operated in more than 70 clubfoot clinics across 30 states, mainly within public hospitals.

Over 6,000 children have received free treatment, and more than 3,000 healthcare professionals have been trained in the Ponseti method and parent education.

However, despite this multi-faceted approach and recorded achievements, treatment coverage in Nigeria remains low, and thousands of children are still at risk of living with a preventable disability.

The Country Representative for MiracleFeet in Nigeria, Ekene Isikaku, noted that while the current progress highlights what is possible through collaboration, sustaining and expanding this progress requires institutional commitment.

Mrs Isikaku said to truly eliminate untreated clubfoot in Nigeria, we must work hand-in-hand with the government at all levels to integrate clubfoot services into the national health system and ensure long-term sustainability.

“This is a top priority for the Nigeria Clubfoot Partners in the next few years,” she said.

Mrs Isikaku also called for government-backed efforts that include establishing and sustaining treatment clinics in all states, deploying trained personnel across all levels of care, and embedding clubfoot services into existing maternal and child health programmes.

Tackling myths

In addition to medical access, advocates say sociocultural beliefs and misinformation continue to hinder early treatment in many communities.

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Garba Danjuma, Executive Secretary of the Taraba State Health Services Management Board and board chair of one of the implementing partners, said stronger public education and political will are needed to change attitudes and improve outcomes.

Mr Danjuma emphasised the urgency of government-led action, noting that preventable disabilities like clubfoot should no longer be overlooked in the country’s health response.

“No child deserves to live with a disability that can be prevented. No parent should feel hopeless. And no health system should ignore a solution as cost-effective and proven as the Ponseti method,” he said.

As Nigeria marks World Clubfoot Day, these advocates say the day should serve as a prompt for renewed investment, national coordination, and policy inclusion to ensure that no child suffers lifelong consequences from an entirely treatable condition.