By Leonard Okachie
The Chairman and Co-founder, StraightChild Foundation, Dr Peace Amaraegbulam, says over 3,500 children have benefited from the non-governmental organisation’s free clubfoot treatment since inception in 2017.
She made this known at the foundation’s eighth anniversary and fundraising event in Umuahia on Monday.
Amaraegbulam, a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, who recounted some of the achievements, said at least, 330 health workers had been trained in the Ponseti Method of clubfoot treatment.
She disclosed that over 2,000 healthcare providers had been trained on early detection and referral of clubfoot cases across the 11 states in the country implementing the programme.
Amaraegbulam further said that the foundation had strengthened about 22 government health facilities through training, equipment and consistent supply of treatment resources.
She explained that the initiative had enabled children with the deformity to receive treatment without any financial burden on their families.
The chairman also said that the foundation made significance impact through its free Cerebral Palsy intervention services.
She said that many parents of children with cerebral palsy were now bringing out their children because of the level of awareness they were getting.
According to her, they attend the parent support group meetings, know more of how to take care of their children and the children are also better off.
Amaraegbulam, who decried paucity of fund and the people’s mindset as the group’s main challenges, said the goal was to have children who are able to live life at its best, beyond the limit of their disabilities.
In a remark, the Wife of the Governor of Abia, Mrs Chidinma Otti, who described the foundation’s work as miraculous, said its passion and perseverance had created a ripple effect of hope.
Mrs Otti, represented by Mrs Maureen Aghukwa, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, commended the foundation for bridging the gap between vision and reality in the care of a child with disability.
She said: “Your work is a testament to the power of collective effort, compassion, and determination.
“I am proud to see the impact of your efforts, which aligns perfectly with my vision and commitment to improving the welfare of Abia residents, particularly vulnerable groups like people with disabilities, including children.”
In a goodwill message, the Chairman, Abia State Disability Commission, Mr David Anyaele, said that the foundation had continued to stand as a pillar of hope, advocacy, and service for children with disabilities in Abia and beyond.
Anyaele said that the commission was committed to ensuring that no child with disability was left behind, adding that Gov. Alex Otti’s administration had taken bold steps to institutionalise inclusive development.
He said: “Our mandate is clear: to promote, protect, and empower persons with disabilities across all sectors of society especially children, who are the most vulnerable.
“We are strengthening partnerships with organisations like the StraightChild Foundation to expand early intervention services, improve access to inclusive education, deepen community sensitisation, and support caregivers with the tools they need to nurture their children.”
The event featured speeches, goodwill messages, donations, clubfoot and cerebral palsy success stories by parents as well as drama.
