Clubfoot Care Programme Launched at Public Welfare Hospital Sui under Indus Hospital Network

Sui, Balochistan – September 2026

Public Welfare Hospital Sui, managed by the Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN), has formally launched a dedicated Clubfoot Clinical Programme, bringing specialised orthopaedic and orthotic care closer to children in Dera Bugti district and surrounding areas of Balochistan.

The programme, part of IHHN’s established “Pehla Qadam” (First Step) Clubfoot Care initiative, was inaugurated by Dr. Javed Ahmed, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon. Key contributions to its establishment came from Head of Campus Dr. Muhammad Hussain Bugti and Dr. Javed Ahmed. Department heads, operations staff, housekeeping, and nursing personnel attended the ceremony, which included a detailed briefing on clubfoot diagnosis and treatment followed by a symbolic cake-cutting.

Clubfoot (congenital talipes equinovarus) is a common birth deformity in which one or both feet turn inward and downward. Without timely intervention, it can lead to lifelong mobility challenges and disability. The Pehla Qadam programme follows the internationally recognised Ponseti method — a largely non-surgical approach involving gentle manipulation and serial casting to correct the foot position, followed by the use of orthotic braces (typically foot abduction braces) to maintain correction during the critical growth period. In selected cases, a minor Achilles tendon release (tenotomy) may be performed.

By establishing the service at Public Welfare Hospital Sui, families in this remote region of Balochistan no longer need to travel long distances to larger cities for assessment, casting, bracing, and follow-up. Local availability of structured Ponseti care is expected to improve early detection rates and treatment adherence, both essential for successful outcomes.

The launch aligns with broader efforts across Pakistan to expand access to clubfoot management through dedicated clinics and the integration of orthotic services into primary and secondary healthcare settings. IHHN’s Pehla Qadam programme has been operational at multiple sites since 2011, providing free or subsidised care with a strong emphasis on capacity building and community awareness.

Orthotics Prosthetics Pakistan welcomes this expansion of specialised rehabilitation services in Balochistan and encourages professionals and students in the field to follow developments in regional clubfoot and paediatric orthotic programmes.

Local media, including a video report by Nazrban Balochistan News (reported by Faiq Ali from Sui), and announcements on the hospital’s official channels highlighted the initiative as an important step toward timely, quality orthopaedic and orthotic care for children in the area.