NOHIL, partners train specialists in advanced surgery to tackle foot deformities

The National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos (NOHIL), in partnership with international organizations Steps2Walk and the Global Health Charity and Training Foundation, has launched a comprehensive Foot and Ankle Surgical Course and Medical Outreach Programme. This initiative targets the treatment of foot and ankle deformities in children and adults across Nigeria.

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Exposure to contemporary global practices would enable participating specialists to replicate the knowledge acquired in their respective hospitals, thereby expanding access to specialised foot and ankle services across the country and reducing the need for patients to travel abroad for treatment.

Dr. Wakeel Lawal, Medical Director of NOHIL, highlighted the program's importance for skills transfer and specialist training, aiming to enhance access to quality healthcare. He expressed confidence that participating specialists will apply their newly acquired knowledge in their respective hospitals, thereby expanding specialized foot and ankle services nationwide and reducing the necessity for patients to seek treatment abroad.

The surgical course features an international faculty from the United States, United Kingdom, Türkiye, and Pakistan. They are delivering lectures and presenting clinical cases, focusing on contemporary management approaches for foot and ankle conditions. This training will be followed by approximately 30 live surgical procedures, providing practical experience for the healthcare professionals.

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Steps2Walk had provided medical supplies and equipment to support the programme and facilitate knowledge transfer.

Dr. John Lewis Ugbo, representing Steps2Walk, reaffirmed the organization's commitment to improving orthopedic deformity management in developing countries. He noted that congenital clubfoot affects about three out of every 1,000 births and expressed concern over complications arising from neglected or poorly treated deformities. Ugbo emphasized that the program's goal extends beyond surgery to transforming the approach to managing these conditions through early intervention, training, and sustainable capacity building.

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Congenital clubfoot as a significant condition, noting that approximately three out of every 1,000 births are affected. He expressed concern over complications arising from neglected or poorly treated deformities in different parts of Nigeria, stressing the importance of early identification, appropriate treatment and specialist training to improve patient outcomes.