Liberia on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, joined other countries across the world to celebrate another millstone of World Club Foot Day.
The day was characterized with a call for national supports from the government through the Ministry of Health.
Clinton Health Access Initiatives, country Director, Moses B. F. Massaqoi, called for the inclusion of club foot treatment in the national health program. The aim, according to Massaqoi, is to reduce the threat the disease poses to the lives of the its victims.
He adds: “We need the government to establish a sustainable and nationwide strategy to provide free or affordable treatment for all children with club foot, particularly in the ‘hard to reach part of the country.’
“Though Liberia has made some tremendous progress in the diagnosis and treatments of the Club Foot, there are needs to continue improving the lives of the children,” Mr. Massaquoi.
He called for the expansion of the program to access rural areas; creating mobile clinic, outreach program and telemedicine, which could bridge the gap for the children afflicted by the disease.
Mr. Mssaquoi: “We want the government to work with international partners to prioritize, and or allocate resources for the treatment of Club Foot; strengthen local healthcare system, and increase the number of trained specialists.”
FACORC’s Founder and Executive Director, Representative Augustine B. Chiewolo, made a passionate plead for support from the Ministry to buttress his organization’s efforts in treating person(s) suffering from Club Foot.
FACORC (Faith Clinical Orthopedic Rehabilitation Center)/Liberia Club Foot Program, was established in 2011.
Since then, the organization has been catering to children with Club Foot without government’s support.
Chiewolo said if the country will succeed in the fight against Club Foot disease, then the government must lend the needed financial support, “because the organization cannot do it along.”
Rep. Chiewolo, a former medical practitioner, had the choice to venture in other areas that will equip him financially, but the Club Foot disease was a grave concern to him because it has the way of endangering the of its victims. He added: It was upon this backdrop that I decided to establish the Liberia Club Foot Program (LCP), which have benefited over 4000 kids across the country.”
The LCP currently operates in 12 of the 15 counties.