The study published in BMJ Global Health (March 2025) titled “Global clubfoot treatment in 2023: an overview of advances and challenges” provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of clubfoot management worldwide. It highlights significant progress in the adoption of the Ponseti method, a minimally invasive technique recognized as the gold standard for clubfoot treatment. The authors note that many low- and middle-income countries have integrated this method into their healthcare systems, leading to improved patient outcomes and increased accessibility to care.
Despite these advancements, the study identifies ongoing challenges in achieving universal access to effective clubfoot treatment. Key issues include:
- shortages of trained healthcare providers
- limited availability of essential clubfoot treatment supplies, and
- socio-cultural barriers that hinder timely intervention.
The authors emphasize the need for continued international collaboration, targeted training programs, and policy initiatives to address these obstacles and ensure that all children with clubfoot receive appropriate care.
Hope Walks Ethiopia Program Manager Endashawu Abera is one of the authors of the study found on the BMJ Global Health website.