The NGO aims to eliminate disability caused by clubfoot in India by 2030 by providing free treatment and support to affected children and their families
Clubfoot is a birth defect that affects around 52,000 children in India every year. It causes one or both feet to be rotated inward and downward, making it difficult and painful to walk. If left untreated, clubfoot can lead to permanent disability and reduced quality of life. However, there is a simple and effective treatment for clubfoot, known as the Ponseti method, which involves gentle manipulation and casting of the foot, followed by wearing a brace until the age of five.
The founder and leader of CURE India: Dr Santhosh George
Dr Santhosh George has been serving the most vulnerable children across India for the last 25 years. CURE India is one of the national voluntary organizations that he and Dr. Mathew Varghese initiated and lead from its inception since 2008. The goal of this unique initiative is to see India free of disability from clubfoot. CURE India with the leadership of Santhosh has signed an agreement with all the states in India and 97,000 children are enrolled in this world’s largest clubfoot program.
There are 250 committed team members working across India with Santhosh to make sure that every child born with clubfoot is given compulsory and complete treatment. Dr Santhosh George has Ph.D. in Humanities from Madurai Kamaraj University, Tamil Nadu and has created several initiatives that transform the lives of children with birth defects, children affected with developmental delays & malnutrition and children at the margin of the education system. He believes that we all have the right to do good and we can leave a better world before we leave this world.
The services and achievements of CURE India
CURE India is a non-governmental and voluntary organization that is working with the Government of India and the state governments to provide free treatment and support to children with clubfoot and their families. Founded in 2009 in New Delhi, CURE India has trained over 7,800 doctors across the country in the Ponseti method and has established 369 designated clubfoot clinics where children can receive free treatment. So far, CURE India has enrolled and treated over 97,000 children with clubfoot, enabling them to walk normally and pursue their dreams.
CURE India also provides counselling, documentation and monitoring, awareness and chain network building, and 24×7 helpline services for the beneficiaries. It also showcases the success stories of children who have overcome clubfoot and achieved remarkable feats, such as Shweta, an eleven-year-old tennis player who ranks fourth at the Delhi state level and 49th in the All India Tennis Association under 12 years category.
The vision and mission of CURE India
CURE India’s vision is to eliminate disability caused by clubfoot in India by 2030. By doing so, it hopes to transform the lives of millions of children and their families, and make India a clubfoot-free nation.
CURE India’s mission is to provide free treatment and support to every child born with clubfoot in India, regardless of their socio-economic status or geographical location. It also aims to create awareness about clubfoot as a treatable condition, train more doctors in the Ponseti method, and advocate for policy changes that support clubfoot eradication.
Table of important facts
| Fact | Description |
|---|---|
| Clubfoot | A birth defect that causes one or both feet to be rotated inward and downward |
| Ponseti method | A simple and effective treatment for clubfoot that involves gentle manipulation and casting of the foot, followed by wearing a brace until the age of five |
| CURE India | A non-governmental and voluntary organization that provides free treatment and support to children with clubfoot and their families |
| Number of children affected by clubfoot in India per year | Around 52,000 |
| Number of doctors trained by CURE India in the Ponseti method | Over 7,800 |
| Number of designated clubfoot clinics established by CURE India | 369 |
| Number of children enrolled and treated by CURE India so far | Over 97,000 |
| Number of new children enrolling every month | Over 1,200 |
| Percentage of children born with clubfoot in India that CURE India can treat | One-fourth |
| Vision of CURE India | To eliminate disability caused by clubfoot in India by 2030 |
| Founder and leader of CURE India | Dr. Santhosh George |
