Where parents of children with clubfoot get help in Nairobi
Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr Mang’oli Paul who is in charge of clubfoot in Kenya during the interview with the Daily Nation.
What you need to know:
- In Nairobi, parents can get services free of charge at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, AIC Cure Hospital, Mbagathi Hospital, IPDK Westlands and Pumwani Maternity Hospital.
- Through partnership with the five hospitals, Hopewalks supplies all the materials required and even train clinicians on the same.
Clubfoot is a deformity of the foot where a baby is born with a foot or feet that turn in and under and one-foot or both feet point down and inwards with the sole of the foot facing backwards.
Globally, more than 174,000 children are born with clubfoot condition every year.
In Kenya, clubfoot is a common birth deformity with close to 2,000 children born with the condition every year.
When such children are not identified earlier and the right treatment methods and follow up made, they face risk of a lifetime disability, subjected to pain, stigma, exclusion, rejection, marginalized and even loss of hope.
Caroline Wambui, 30, a resident of Nairobi said that when she gave birth at a private hospital, she was informed by the doctors that her child had clubfoot on both legs.
In her family and that of the husband, there was no one with such a condition.
“I felt as if I was cursed. It was one of the most trying moments of my life. I was referred to Gatundu for further checkup,” Mrs Wambui told Nation.Africa.
Due to lack of capital, she was not able to keep up with the weekly checkup and money to buy the braces.
On the other hand, Mary Asingira, 40, also a resident of Nairobi, said that she was disowned by her husband’s family after they realized the child had clubfoot condition.
She said that her other two sons are free from the condition.
“ I'm a single parent. It has been very tough on me. Taking care of my son has not been easy,” said Mrs Asingira.
She said that she was forced to pay 132,000 for her son to undergo surgery in Kijabe to correct the condition.
Although the child is yet to start walking, he is presently undergoing treatment at AIC Cure Hospital in Nairobi. She remains hopeful that her son will walk someday.
So where can parents of children born with clubfoot to seek help?
A Christian-based organization called Hopewalks, has given hope to many parents all over the world with more than 15,000 children so far enrolled in various healthcare units in the country.
In Nairobi, parents can get services free of charge at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, AIC Cure Hospital, Mbagathi Hospital, IPDK Westlands and Pumwani Maternity Hospital.
Through partnership with the five hospitals, Hopewalks supplies all the materials required and even train clinicians on the condition.
Clinicians in various hospitals in Nairobi can attend to between 15 to 20 patients with the condition. Each clinic has a specific checkup day from Monday to Friday.
According to Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr Mang’oli Paul, who is in charge of clubfoot in Kenya, the condition is manageable, especially if identified earlier.
“In all the clinics, we do a non-surgical treatment to the child ranging from casting, Tenotomy and finally the child is put in braces for five years. This helps us reduce disability in the country by a big percentage,” said Dr Paul.
