Three Nigerian students from John Hopkins University, in partnership with Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, Odan, have trained 80 Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) and Traditional Bone Setters to recognise clubfoot at birth, counsel families, and refer affected newborns to designated clubfoot experts and clinics.
The training, which focused more on early detection of clubfoot as a key to preventing the deformity, also centred on facilitating immediate referral of suspected talipes equinovarus by care providers to recommended hospitals which specialise in offering free treatment on clubfoot such as Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Maternity Hospital Odan Lagos Island, National Orthopaedic Hospital Igbobi, (NOHI) Lagos.
Federal Medical Centre Ebute Metta Lagos, General Hospital Gbagada, Lagos, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos and General Hospital Alimosho, among others.
The Team Lead, Dr. Iretenevesho Obaitan, said clubfoot is a common but correctable childhood deformity when detected and treated early. However, many children arrive late for care owing to limited awareness, financial barriers, or cultural misconceptions about clubfoot.
She noted that Nigeria records approximately 10,000 new clubfoot cases yearly, with many children presenting late when deformities have hardened, leading to preventable lifelong disability.
The Team Lead said World Health Organisation (WHO), Rehabilitation 2030 Initiative and Nigeria’s National Policy on Disabilities stressed the need to establish clubfoot clinics, as well as early detection and timely treatment, as possible ways to ultimately reducing preventable childhood disability across Lagos State and Nigeria at large.
Obaitan said some people think clubfoot is punishment from God. “We want to let general public to know that there is hope for babies who come down with clubfoot disorder once they are sent to where it could be corrected”.
Obaitan commended Lagos State Medicine Board members for coming out enmass to attend the training, adding that they are eager to learn.
Deputy Director Lagos State Traditional Medicines, Mrs. Aisha Adams, said the training would go a long way in eradicating clubfoot deformity in Lagos and Nigeria at large. “We are happy for this collaboration because it will add value to healthcare delivery in Lagos State especially on clubfoot deformation because it is traditional medicine practitioners that first identify clubfoot in newborn babies”.
Head of Department (HOD), Orthopaedic Department, Maternity Hospital, Island Lagos, Dr. Salami Olayinka, who represented the Medical Director (MD), said the training was to create awareness about talipes equinovarus, which is deformity of the leg.
He said part of things that can change the outcome of the leg deformity regarding the treatment include early detection, early presentation and early commencement of treatment which those affected have been encouraged to refer to the appropriate hospitals.
