Minister Urges Leaders to Fight Myths About Children Born with Clubfoot

The state minister for General Duties in the Ministry of Health, Anifa Kawooya Bangirana, has called on local leaders to intensify efforts to dispel myths and misconceptions that continue to prevent parents from seeking timely treatment for children born with clubfoot. Kawooya said deeply rooted cultural beliefs continue to discourage some families from accessing medical care despite the government’s efforts to decentralize treatment services across the country. In the Buganda region, clubfoot is commonly referred to as “Zamufura,” a term associated with beliefs that the condition is caused by witchcraft, curses, supernatural powers or punishment.

According to the minister, such misconceptions fuel stigma, delay treatment, and deny affected children the opportunity to live healthy and productive lives. She urged local council leaders, religious leaders, cultural institutions and health workers to step up community sensitization campaigns to educate the public that clubfoot is a medical condition that can be successfully treated, particularly when detected early.

“Clubfoot is not caused by witchcraft or curses. Parents should seek treatment as soon as the condition is identified because early intervention enables children to walk normally and live productive lives,” Kawooya said. She revealed that since 2019, the Ministry of Health has identified more than 7,600 children with clubfoot across Uganda, with about 96 percent successfully receiving treatment.

Kawooya made the remarks on Thursday during the national commemoration of World Clubfoot Awareness Day held at Luwero Hospital. Dorothy Nabukeera, the Project Coordinator for Advocacy and Partnerships under Uganda’s National Clubfoot Programme, said the annual commemoration seeks to increase public awareness about the condition, promote early diagnosis, and encourage families to seek treatment before permanent disability develops. She noted that many children continue to miss the opportunity for early treatment because parents are misled by myths surrounding the condition.

Dr. Michael Mutegeki, the Ministry of Health’s Principal Medical Officer in charge of Congenital Anomalies, said the ministry is strengthening efforts to prevent and manage birth defects through improved maternal nutrition, promotion of fortified foods, and expansion of specialized healthcare services. He added that the ministry is recruiting and training more specialists to improve access to comprehensive care for children born with congenital anomalies across the country.

Since 2020, Luwero Hospital has treated at least 197 children born with clubfoot, reflecting the growing impact of specialized services in bringing treatment closer to communities. Among the beneficiaries is Rogers Ssemwanga, a resident of Sasira Trading Centre in Nakasongola District, who admitted that he initially believed his child’s condition was the result of a curse.

After receiving guidance from members of the community, he sought treatment at Luwero Hospital. Today, he says, his child walks normally, attends school and participates in everyday activities like another children. Cue out: Sarah Nakayiza also shared her family’s experience, explaining that she persuaded her sister to seek medical treatment for a child born with clubfoot despite opposition from the child’s father, who believed in cultural myths surrounding the condition. Although treatment only began when the child was 13 years old, she said the intervention significantly improved the child’s mobility and quality of life.

The child is now attending school like other children. The parents applauded the government’s decision to decentralize clubfoot treatment services through regional hospitals, saying it has reduced the burden of travelling long distances for care. They, however, appealed for more awareness campaigns at the village level, arguing that many families still lack accurate information about the condition and continue to delay seeking treatment because of stigma and misconceptions.

According to the Ministry of Health, between 1,800 and 2,100 children are born with clubfoot in Uganda every year. Clubfoot is a congenital condition in which one or both feet are twisted inward and downward due to abnormal development of the tendons, muscles and bones of the foot and lower leg. Although the exact cause remains unknown, health experts say the condition is highly treatable, particularly when intervention begins soon after birth

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