To eradicate disability in new born children caused by clubfoot, Cure International India Trust (CIIT), a healthcare NGO, has proposed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) last week with the government of Maharashtra, through the Directorate of Medical Education & Research (DMER) to establish the ‘CURE Clubfoot Maharashtra Project’ - a state wide programme for the treatment of clubfoot in the State.

The main aim of the project is to equip medical colleges across the state with free Ponseti method treatment to children born with clubfoot and to change the world of children born with clubfoot.

Santhosh G George, director, CURE International India Trust and regional manager for Asia, CURE Clubfoot Worldwide said, “We are recognised as a world leader in establishing speciality paediatric teaching hospitals, building regional medical treatment programmes and advocacy for disabled children in developing countries. The collaborative efforts of both the organisation will facilitate quality assured successful implementation of clubfoot treatment in the State and will ensure sustainability over time by ownership and capacity building of the staff in public hospitals identified for the purpose.”

He further added, “The Sir JJ Medical College in Mumbai has already been identified as the Nodal Training Centre on Ponseti method of Clubfoot treatment for the “CURE Clubfoot Maharashtra Project” while other government medical colleges in the State will be participating in this state level programme.”

This MoU will lead to establish a network of clubfoot clinics in the identified hospitals with a goal of making clubfoot treatment accessible to every child born with clubfoot in the State. It will lead to organise and sponsor medical education so that there is a core of medical professionals trained in the Ponseti method treatment who are able to treat children born with clubfoot appropriately and pass on these skills by providing refreshers training with national and international faculty to the doctors participating in this state level programme arranged by CIIT.

The MoU will provide medical education/ awareness to other healthcare workers at various levels so that clubfoot is identified at an early age and children are referred to the appropriate treatment centres and to establish sustainable quality assured programme with the necessary technical/ managerial skills and availability of logistics.

George also informed that this joint programme will be implemented by mutual cooperation between orthopaedic department of the identified Institutes and CIIT staff. “We are also expecting to identify and equip medical colleges where this programme could be initiated and will make sure that the materials (PoP, Sof Ban etc.) for treatment is available. We will assign doctors and other support staff for the effective functioning of this programme.”