CUTTACK: Children born with clubfoot deformity can now avail advanced treatment free of cost in Swami Vivekananda National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research (SVNIRTAR) at Olatpur.
On Thursday, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between SVNIRTAR and CURE International India (CII) for establishment of CURE clubfoot clinic which will provide free treatment to children born with clubfoot deformity.
Director, SVNIRTAR Dr Shakti Prasad Dash and Managing Director of CII Dr Santosh George G signed the pact in presence of other officials.
Clubfoot is one of the most common birth deformities that affects over 2,00,000 new born babies every year in the world. In Odisha, around 1,600 children are born with clubfoot deformity every year. Clubfoot is a condition where the foot is twisted inward and can be corrected with serial cast and special shoe.
CII is a registered non-profit national healthcare organisation which aims to eradicate disability caused by clubfoot. The CII has so far provided free treatment to more than 25,000 children born with clubfoot deformity in 27 States.
CII’s CURE clubfoot India programme, which started in Odisha in 2012, has six clinics functioning at MKCGH, Berhampur, VSS Medical College, Burla, RGH and IGH at Rourkela and district headquarter hospitals at Koraput and Kalahandi with its nodal clinic situated at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. The CURE clubfoot clinic of CII at SVNIRTAR will be the seventh one in the State.
So far, more than 910 children born with clubfoot deformity have been cured in CURE clinics with the advanced treatment provided by CII free of cost in collaboration with Odisha Government, said Dr George.
The CURE clubfoot clinic in SVNIRTAR would facilitate early identification, early plaster technique and follow-up treatment.