Kanpur, June 3 (IANS) The Adani Foundation and the Anushkaa Foundation on Wednesday announced a three-year partnership to support treatment and follow-up care for more than 10,000 children affected by clubfoot across five states through public healthcare systems.

The initiative, launched on World Clubfoot Day, will be implemented in partnership with the National Health Mission (NHM) across Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh.

The programme was formally launched at Manyavar Kanshiram Samyukth Chikitsalay and Trauma Centre in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, one of the states carrying the highest burden of clubfoot cases in India.

Dr Priti Adani, Chairperson of the Adani Foundation, said no child should be held back by a treatable condition such as clubfoot when identified early.

“Every child deserves the opportunity to move, learn, play, and participate fully in life. Creating opportunities for specially abled individuals has long been central to the Adani Foundation’s philosophy, and this partnership reflects that commitment,” Dr Priti Adani mentioned.

Clubfoot is a congenital condition in which one or both feet turn inward at birth and affects nearly one in every 800 newborns.

Although the condition can be corrected through the globally recognised Ponseti treatment method, many children in underserved areas fail to receive timely care.

The new initiative aims to strengthen early identification, referral systems and access to treatment through public healthcare networks while improving long-term care and rehabilitation support for affected children.

Under the programme, 67 clubfoot clinics across 61 districts in the five states will be supported to expand treatment access and strengthen healthcare capacity.

The initiative will also support the training and strengthening of 51 healthcare professionals involved in clubfoot care.

In addition, more than 30,000 frontline health workers will be sensitised to improve early detection and timely referral of children born with the condition.

Deepak Premnarayen, Founder of the Anushkaa Foundation, said the collaboration would help strengthen systems for early diagnosis and intervention while expanding access to quality treatment.

“This partnership with the Adani Foundation will help expand access to quality treatment across 61 districts in five states while strengthening systems for early diagnosis and intervention. Together, we can ensure that a treatable condition does not become a lifelong barrier to mobility and opportunity,” Premnarayen added.

–IANS

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