Katsina, WACHEF Sign MoU to Tackle Clubfoot Amongst Children 

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Katsina State Government and Women and Children Health Empowerment Foundation (WACHEF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to tackle cases of clubfoot bedeviling children in the state.

The state Commissioner for Health, Musa Adamu-Funtua, who signed the MoU on behalf of the state government Tuesday, said it will scale up access to care and integrate clubfoot treatment into routine child health services in the state.

He said the signing of the MoU underscores the state government’s commitment to eradicating cases of clubfoot amongst children and integration of its treatment into the state’s routine child healthcare services.

He explained that the government will support WACHEF in implementing the clubfoot programme across the state and ensure its sustainability in order to eliminate the untreated clubfoot cases faced by children.

He urged WACHEF and its implementing partners to work within the rules and regulations encapsulated in the memorandum of understanding because no child deserves to live with a disability that can be treated.

Earlier, the Project Coordinator of WACHEF, Babale Gambo Maikidi, said the programme which was initially implemented in Kano and Taraba states was introduced in Katsina due to the alarming cases of clubfoot in the state.

In Katsina, he said, the clubfoot programme is currently being implemented in General Hospital Funtua and General Amadi Rimi Orthopedic Hospital, Katsina, and plans were ongoing to open another treatment centre in Daura.

He added that 20 cases of clubfoot have been identified by the Women and Children Health Empowerment in one activity in General Hospital Funtua and the organisation has commenced treatment.

He said: “The clubfoot programme was initially run across Kano, Taraba and other states. But when we look at the number of patients in Kano, especially Orthopedic Hospital Dala and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospitals, most of them were from Katsina.

“This sends a signal that there are clubfoot cases in Katsina, and there is no clinic to provide such services to them that is why they are going to Kano. So, we ventured into Katsina with the hope of opening new clinics in Katsina, Funtua and Daura.”