Babies born with clubfeet not punishment from God, witchcraft – Medics.

The campaign, which will run throughout the month of June, consisted not only of raising public awareness about this pathology, but also providing consultation for children suffering from the disease. 

Considered one of the most common orthopedic malformations in the world, clubfoot is little known in Cameroon, so much that children who suffer from it are perceived as witches. These patients are regularly victims of suspicion and rejection in society. 

However, through the initiative, the affected children can benefit from free medical assistance.

According to Dr Benoit Nkama, about 50% of victims' families attribute the malformation to witchcraft or some sort of punishment from God. 

However, the experts reiterated that it is purely a medical condition and can be eliminated if parents bring their children to the hospital early enough.

He said these myths and misconceptions associated to children born with the condition must be erased if the social stigma attached to it must be checked.

Experts say untreated clubfoot result in a lifetime disability, causing pain, difficulty walking, stigmatisation, and limited access to education and economic opportunities.

Going by them, clubfoot is a congenital deformity present at birth in which a baby’s foot or feet turn inward. 

Clubfoot happens because of an issue with the child’s tendons, the tissues that connect muscle to bone. It describes a range of foot abnormalities in which the baby's foot is twisted out of shape or position. In clubfoot, the tissues connecting the muscles to the bone are shorter than usual. Clubfoot is a fairly common birth defect and is usually an isolated problem for an otherwise healthy newborn.

One in every 1,000 babies born with condition

Experts say approximately one in every 1,000 babies will be born with clubfoot, which makes it one of the most common congenital foot deformities. There are nearly 100,000 children worldwide born with club feet. 

“In Cameroon, statistics for this year 2024 have not yet been published, however, the Minister of Public Health is closely monitoring all children who suffer from this disease. The treatment prescribed to patients by the said ministry is the Ponseti method," Dr Nkama said.  

The Ponseti method, he added, is a systematic series of casting and orthotic bracing treatments that permanently and non-surgically correct clubfoot in young children.

"So surgery is not recommended in infants, but recommended in adults only,” he explained.  

Nadine Koussock, a parent, who recounted her experience to The Guardian Post, confirmed that her child's feet were corrected through the Ponseti method. 

"When my baby was born, it was a difficult experience. I was at the same time, happy, angry, frightened and anxious. I was angry because she came with clubfeet, which the nurses didn't notice. It was when my elder sister was bathing her the next day that she the noticed the abnormality. I was frightened because I didn't Know what is was, if there was a cure or not; and anxious about the future, if she could ever have normal feet. It was a hard nut to break," Koussock told this reporter 

Koussock added that: "When my elder sister noticed that, we immediately met the paediatrician who directed us to an imagery centre. When I inquired what could be the causes, he said it was yet to be known, but I thank God because we didn't have to go through surgery. The doctor told us it could be treated and today my baby is fine”. 

Currently, the cause of clubfoot is unknown. Still, experts say it may be due to a combination of genetics and the environment, including a family history of clubfoot, smoking, alcohol intake, and intake of certain medications during pregnancy.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No 3139 of Wednesday June 12, 2024