Scaling Excellence from Cuttack to Saifai: How Two Landmark Ponseti Training Programs are Shaping the Future of Clubfoot Care in India
March 7, 2026, will be remembered as a landmark day in the journey toward a clubfoot-free India. In a powerful demonstration of CURE India’s national presence, our teams successfully executed two simultaneous, high-impact training programs over 1,000 kilometers apart. From the historic city of Cuttack in Odisha to the medical hub of Saifai in Uttar Pradesh, the 165th and 166th Ponseti Training Programs have added a new chapter to our mission of ensuring that no child is left behind due to a treatable birth defect.
As one of the Top 10 NGO's in India/in the country, CURE India recognizes that the key to sustainable social impact lies in capacity building. By training the hands that heal, we are not just treating individual children; we are fortifying the entire healthcare ecosystem.
The 165th Ponseti Training took place at the prestigious SVNIRTAR in Cuttack, a center of excellence for rehabilitation. Under the expert guidance of esteemed faculty members—including Dr. Binoti Sheth from Sion Hospital, Mumbai, alongside Dr. Pabitra Kumar Sahoo (HoD, SVNIRTAR) and Dr. Sudhir Kumar Mahapatra—participating orthopedic professionals underwent a rigorous immersion into the Ponseti method.
The atmosphere was one of intense learning and dedication. Surgeons and residents refined their skills in the gentle manipulation and precise casting techniques that define the Ponseti method. This collaborative effort ensures that the children of Odisha have access to the highest quality of Free Treatment, delivered by experts who are now part of the largest clubfoot program in the world.
Simultaneously, in Saifai, Etawah, the 166th Ponseti Training was organized in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences (UPUMS). This session offered a comprehensive scientific deep-dive, covering:
We were deeply honored by the presence of Hon’ble Vice Chancellor Dr. Ajai Singh as our Chief Guest. A defining moment of the day was the renewal of the MoU between CURE India and Saifai Medical College for the next five years. This long-term commitment is a testament to our credibility and the trust that major medical institutions place in our model. It ensures that thousands of families in rural Uttar Pradesh will continue to receive life-changing care for years to come.
At the heart of both training sessions is the Ponseti method, the globally recognized, non-surgical gold standard for clubfoot treatment. By utilizing a series of corrective plaster casts, we can achieve full correction in over 95% of cases without invasive surgery.
However, the journey doesn't end with the last cast. These training programs emphasize the critical "bracing protocol." Every child treated through CURE India is provided with a FAB (Foot Abduction Brace), which is essential to prevent relapse as the child grows. By providing both the treatment and the braces for free, we remove the financial barriers that often stand between a child and their first steps.
Our journey toward a clubfoot-free nation is guided by the ambitious and urgent RunFree2030 mission. While we celebrate the fact that CURE India is currently treating 33% of all children born with clubfoot in India, we are acutely aware of the thousands of children who still lack access to care. To bridge this gap, we are aggressively scaling up to reach 70% of children born with clubfoot in the next 5 years. This expansion requires a massive mobilization of resources, from training more medical professionals to expanding our grassroots outreach. By intensifying our national presence and strengthening our partnerships with institutions like SVNIRTAR and UPUMS, we are working toward a future where no child is left behind due to a lack of resources or awareness, ensuring that every infant born with this condition has an equal opportunity to stand tall and walk free by the end of the decade.
CURE India has achieved the distinction of having the most number of clubfoot children treated globally, but this would be impossible without the support of the general public and our dedicated donors. We take immense pride in our transparency of fund usage. When you contribute to CURE, your Donation goes directly into the field—funding the casts, the braces, and the world-class training programs that took place this week.
The success of our 165th and 166th programs is a testament to the hard work of our Odisha and Uttar Pradesh teams. Together, we are proving that with the right training and a compassionate heart, we can make hope walk.
Together, we make hope walk.
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