109
D
efeating clubfoot brings smiles and hope to parents
ollowing pages (110–111):
Plaster cast application to
correct clubfoot
, 40,000 c
hildren
are born with clubfoot, a congenital
deformity that twists the foot downward
and inward, making walking difficult
or impossible. So when international
organizations that work with clubfoot
management approached Dr. Mathew
Varghese and Dr. Santhosh George to start
a clubfoot programme in India, they didn’t
hesitate. And so was born a highly successful
programme that uses affordable, effective
and non-surgical interventions to correct
clubfoot among the poor and vulnerable
sections of society.
One of the key reasons for CRE
India’s tremendous reach is that instead of
creating a parallel, standalone disability
elimination programme, it partnered with
the governments of 29 states of India.
‘e network of clubfoot clinics are in
government hospitals, where the treatment
is provided by the government doctors. e
community health volunteers (ASHAs),
Anganwadi
teachers and Rashtriya Bal
Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) team identify
and refer children with clubfoot to the
designated clubfoot clinics. e public health
system owns this initiative and the role of
CURE
International
India Trust
•
•
•• •
F
ounded by Dr. Mathew Varghese
& Dr. Santhosh George in 2009
CURE International India Trust
(CURE India) envisions an inclusive
society where people with disabilities
have equal education opportunities
and lead an independent and
productive life. They work with
children born with clubfoot, providing
them affordable and effective non-
surgical treatment. Training over
5,500 healthcare professionals in the
Ponseti Method, they have treated
nearly 50,000 children and are
currently working with an additional
15,000, offering them free world-class
treatment through 314 designated
clubfoot clinics in partnership with 29
state governments. CURE India has set
a national model on timely healthcare
and access to inclusive education,
and further aims to create designated
clubfoot clinics in 715 districts of
India in the next five years.