There is a growing need for clubfoot treatment across South Africa as STEPS Clubfoot Care has seen a 68 percent spike in the number of children needing these specialised braces.
"Last year alone, we distributed 1,608 clubfoot braces—68% more than the previous year. Every child deserves the chance to walk with dignity and inclusion, but too many still face barriers to care. We are working tirelessly to close this gap, but greater support is essential to ensure that no child is left behind, said Karen Mara Moss, founder of STEPS Clubfoot Care.
But with this growth comes a need for more funding, resources, and healthcare support to meet the demand. "At least two thousand children in South Africa are born with clubfoot each year, and the demand for care continues to rise. As the only organisation in the country dedicated to this issue, we've made significant progress over the past 20 years, yet the need for specialised support is growing at an alarming rate," Moss said.
Clubfoot is a congenital condition where a baby’s foot is twisted inward and pointed downward, making it rigid and unable to return to the correct position; it affects 1 to 2 babies in every 1,000 live births worldwide.
In 2024 the organisation supported 4,592 patients across South Africa and in various stages of treatment, helping 1,127 new babies begin their journey towards a life free from disability. Through its network of 41 active partner clinics, STEPS supported 17,662 patient visits, 55% of which were directly by STEPS clinic coordinators, with the remaining 45% benefiting from educational materials and clinic coordination tools provided by the organisation.
Closing the Gap: Making Clubfoot Treatment More Accessible
The statistics are eye-opening, yet while more children are beginning treatment, too many are still missing out on the timely intervention they need. Over recent years, STEPS has witnessed critical barriers to access, particularly for children living in rural areas, where challenges compound timely intervention.
For many families, transport costs represent the most significant barrier to accessing life-changing clubfoot treatment. “A baby born with clubfoot requires multiple visits to a specialised clinic within the first few months of life. For families in rural areas, this often means long and costly journeys, which add significant financial strain. The cost of travel makes it nearly impossible for many children to receive the timely treatment they need,” Moss added.
To address this challenge, STEPS has been advocating for temporary Care Dependency Grants, which would provide financial assistance for transport, enabling families to complete the crucial early stages of treatment.
In addition to transport costs, South Africa is grappling with a critical shortage of healthcare professionals trained to treat clubfoot and other birth conditions.
“The South African healthcare system remains under pressure, and the dual challenges of transport barriers and healthcare worker shortages are preventing many children from receiving the life-changing care they need. To date, we have helped train 2,090 health professionals in the Ponseti method, but this is just scratching the surface. Access to care is time-critical, and we cannot afford delays in treatment. By equipping even more health professionals with the Ponseti method, we can expand the pool of trained healthcare professionals and ensure that more children receive the necessary treatment, ideally closer to home.”
Take Your Step Toward Change
Despite these challenges, there is hope. As part of efforts to support STEPS Clubfoot Care, Discovery Vitality will be running a Vitality MoveToGive campaign starting 3 March, in line with World Birth Defects Day, giving their members the chance to donate their Discovery Miles to give children born with clubfoot access to the best possible treatment.