The Pasig City local government has extended its support to The Medical City’s “Clubfoot Program” that seeks to raise awareness and offer medical services to children with deformities.
(Photo from Councilor Corie Raymundo FB Page / MANILA BULLETIN)
Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto and Councilor Corazon Raymundo attended the launch of the program on Wednesday, Sept. 20.
It was launched through the hospital’s partnerships with the Pasig local government, Miracle Feet organization, Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health, and Welfare, Inc. (PNGOC), and the Philippine National Clubfoot Program.
According to the Office of Councilor Raymundo, the program covers free clubfoot treatment, and provides casting equipment and braces for babies and children with the deformities.
“Since treating clubfoot is time sensitive, it is crucial that the babies begin treatment as soon as they are born,” shared Raymundo.
During the launch, a sample of the orthotic clubfoot brace was presented to the city officials. Sotto affixed his signature on one of the shoes.
(Photo from Councilor Corie Raymundo FB Page / MANILA BULLETIN)
Raymundo urged the public to help promote the program in order for children with clubfoot to avail of urgent high quality treatment.
Clubfoot refers to a deformity wherein a baby or child’s foot or feet is turned in and under its leg, caused by a shortened Achilles tendon, according to John Hopkins Medicine.
“The bones of the foot and ankle are all present but are misaligned due to differences in the muscles and tendons acting on the foot,” the website stated.
Common treatments of the clubfoot include the Ponseti clubfoot casting and bracing method to carefully help “stretch and manipulate the foot” in order to correct the deformity. The feet are braced to help maintain the correction or else the clubfoot will redevelop.
According to data from Miracle Feet, the hospital’s partner international non-government organization (INGO), the Philippines sees around 2,743 cases of clubfoot per year.