Clubfoot: TSCF engages Healthcare Providers

TSCF engages Healthcare Providers in Ukwa West on EDR Training

In its avowed commitment to strengthen collaboration for timely and quality treatment of children with Clubfoot, The Straight Child Foundation, TSCF has engaged healthcare providers within project implementation states, in the Early Detection and Referral, EDR of children with clubfoot to designated treatment centers workshop.

Participants in the workshop which took place in the Primary Healthcare Centre, Ukwa West L.G.A, include: the Health Authority Secretary, Ukwa West, Mrs. Regina Alaribe, 17 Officers In-charge of Primary Health Centres within Ukwa-West LGA; 31 Immunization Field Officers (for the first quarter, Q1 2024 Polio Immunization Exercise).

Mr. Uchenna Egbe-Eni, educating the participants during the training.

In his speech during the event, the TSCF team led by the Miraclefeet country Program Coordinator, Mr. Uchenna Egbe-Eni, said the workshop was strategically targeted to provide the Officers In-Charge of the Health Centres, and most especially, the Field Officers, comprising of Patent Medicines Vendors and other community healthcare providers who would be visiting several homes, worship centers, schools, traditional birth homes and other maternity homes for the administration of the polio vaccine, with facts about clubfoot.

According to him the workshop also would create an avenue to establish a referral linkage with them, for easy and timely referral of children that they may identify with clubfoot in the communities, for treatment.

Speaking also, the TSCF Project Supervisor, Mr Bright Amadi, who provided facts on clubfoot to the health care providers (description of clubfoot, cause, types and treatment);  access to clubfoot treatment within the state (introduction of the treatment centers to the health care providers, clinic days, and contact numbers), also debunked some superstitions about clubfoot, which had deterred families from presenting their affected children for early intervention.

TSCF Project Supervisor, Mr Bright Amadi, giving an insight on what Clubfoot is all about.

The Health Authority Secretary, Ukwa West, Mrs. Regina Alaribe, among others who spoke, expressed commitment of the healthcare providers towards identification and referral of children with clubfoot to treatment Centres.

The Health Department of the Local Government Area, also assured TSCF of their readiness to keep the collaboration active so long as the organization continues to provide the services for free as promised, especially for the children below 5 years of age.

It was gathered that The Straight Child Foundation team had earlier made contact with Mr. Ezeji, the Community announcer to the Mayor of Ukwa West, Mayor Newman Azu, who promised to help distribute/disseminate the TSCF fliers, posters and awareness on clubfoot and access to its treatment to other communities.