In both urban and rural communities across Kaduna State, hundreds of children are getting a second chance at normal childhood thanks to free clubfoot surgeries provided by the Positive Care and Development Foundation.
The organization has been quietly transforming lives across the state, especially in the state’s most remote areas, offering hope to families who never imagined their children could walk without pain or difficulty.
The Positive Care Development Foundation, in collaboration with Miraclefeet and with the support of the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, recently organized a 2-day training on basic clubfoot treatment for healthcare providers. The training was attended by participants from Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital, Shika, Zaria and Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna. During the training session, Dr. (Mrs) Esse Nwakanma, President and Executive Director of the Positive Care and Development Foundation, described the problem as a glaring issue.
Nigeria records approximately 10,000 clubfoot disability births annually, with limited attention devoted to this condition – Dr Nwakanma
This number represents thousands of children who, without intervention, face a lifetime of difficulty and discrimination.
Reaching the Unreached
Clubfoot, a birth defect where a baby’s foot is twisted out of shape or position, affects roughly one in every 1,000 births in Nigeria according to World Health Organization (WHO). Without treatment, children struggle to walk and often face a lifetime of disability and social stigma.
The Positive Care and Development Foundation focuses specifically on children between ages 0 and 5, the critical stage when clubfoot correction is most effective. Their medical teams or agents/volunteers have traveled deep into rural Kaduna, providing free surgeries at Teaching Hospital, Shika, for local government areas like Zaria, Sabon Gari, Soba, Kudan, Ikara, Makarfi, Kubau, among others. These are places where specialized medical care rarely reaches.
The foundation operates in partnership with MiracleFeet and four other organizations nationwide, creating a network of support for affected children across Nigeria’s Northern region. Dr. Nwakanma emphasizes the quality of care provided.
PCDF’s programme bridges this gap by offering services from senior orthopedic surgeons and clinicians using the gold-standard, non-invasive Ponseti method – Dr Nwakanma
According to her, this internationally recognized approach has proven highly effective in correcting clubfoot without the need for major surgery in most cases.
How It Works
The foundation’s approach is straightforward. Medical teams identify affected children through community outreach and health workers (mostly agents or volunteers), then provide complete treatment at no cost to families. The treatment protocol is comprehensive.
Treatment involves free POP and soft bandage for the first 6 weeks of casting support, daily clinic attendance by parents, tenotomy; a minor surgery, as required, and brace shoes for 4-5 years – Dr. Nwakanma explained
This includes the initial surgery, follow-up care, and the special shoes and braces children need during recovery. For many families, especially in these rural communities, the cost of traveling to Kaduna city for treatment seems impossible; let alone paying for surgery. By bringing services directly or close to them, the foundation removes the biggest barrier to treatment.
A Mission of Inclusion
The foundation’s commitment goes deeper than medical intervention. Dr Nwakanma pleaded during the training for Nigerians to join the campaign to ensure every child has access to quality clubfoot treatment. He stressed the support of the Positive Care and Development Foundation and its mission to leave no one behind.
This philosophy of inclusion drives every aspect of the organization’s work, ensuring that geography, poverty, or lack of awareness does not condemn children to preventable disability. The foundation recently showcased its community-level clubfoot intervention programme at the Jani Lake Expo, raising awareness about this often-overlooked condition and the solutions available.
Beyond Surgery
What sets this programme apart is its commitment to follow-through. After surgery, children receive weeks or months of monitoring to ensure proper healing. Parents are taught exercises and care techniques to support their child’s recovery.
The foundation also works with local health facilities and individuals to build capacity, training community health workers to identify clubfoot cases early when treatment is simplest and most effective. This community-based approach ensures sustainability. Volunteer health workers in rural areas become the eyes and ears of the programme, identifying cases that might otherwise go unnoticed until it is too late for optimal treatment.
Impact on Communities
In traditional rural settings, children with untreated clubfoot often face isolation and limited opportunities. They struggle to attend school, play with peers, or participate in normal childhood activities. The foundation’s work does not just fix feet; it opens doors to education, social inclusion, and future opportunities.
Local government health departments in local communities have partnered with the foundation, helping to identify cases and coordinate medical outreach. This collaboration has proven essential in reaching families who might otherwise never seek treatment due to distance, cost, or lack of awareness.
While the Positive Care and Development Foundation has already helped hundreds of children across Kaduna State, the need remains significant. Dr. Nwakanma’s statement that “Nigeria records approximately 10,000 clubfoot disability births annually” means the work is far from over. Many families in remote areas still don’t know that clubfoot is treatable or that free help is available. The foundation continues to expand its outreach, working to ensure that every child born with clubfoot in Kaduna State has access to the treatment that can give them a normal, active life.
The Road Ahead
The organization’s participation in events like the Jani Lake Expo represents an important step in raising awareness and encouraging more families to seek help. For parents in rural Kaduna watching their children walk, run, and play like any other child, the foundation’s work represents nothing less than a miracle made real through dedicated medical care and community commitment. The Positive Care and Development Foundation is not just treating a medical condition; it is ensuring that no disabled household is left behind in Nigeria’s development journey.
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