Eradicating Disability in Murshidabad: A Grassroots Movement for Every Child’s First Step

Strengthening the Link: CURE India Empowers Frontline Health Workers in West Bengal to Ensure Early Clubfoot Identification

In the heart of the Murshidabad district of West Bengal, a vital mission is unfolding—one that starts at the local SSK (Shishu Shiksha Kendra) centres and ends with a child walking into a bright, independent future. Recently, our District Program Coordinator, Ms. Arupa Mondal Roy, conducted a comprehensive awareness drive across several frontline health facilities to bridge the gap between birth and treatment for children with clubfoot.

By visiting the Ganeshpur SSK Centre, Joyenpur SSK Centre, and Bagdohor SSK Centre, CURE India is reinforcing the community-level systems that ensure no child is left behind due to a lack of awareness or a clear referral pathway.

Empowering the Community: The Heroes of Murshidabad

The success of any national health program depends on the people who serve on the front lines. During these sessions, health workers were sensitised to recognizing clubfoot—a congenital condition where the feet are turned inward—immediately at birth.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Mrs. Titas Taia (GNM Staff), Mrs. Sudipta Kundu, and Smt. Ranu Kakuri for their active participation and commitment. By training these dedicated professionals, CURE India ensures that when a child is born with clubfoot, the diagnosis is swift, and the family is immediately guided toward the right Free Treatment. This proactive approach turns a potential lifetime of disability into a temporary medical journey.

The Science of Healing: The Ponseti Method

The cornerstone of our clinical work in West Bengal and beyond is the Ponseti method. This non-surgical, globally recognized gold standard for clubfoot management relies on the natural flexibility of a newborn’s feet.

The treatment involves:

• Gentle Manipulation and Casting: A series of weekly plaster casts that gradually correct the foot's position.
• Minor Procedure (Tenotomy): Often required to release the Achilles tendon.
• Maintenance with the FAB: After the casts are removed, the child wears a FAB (Foot Abduction Brace). This specialized brace is critical to prevent relapse as the child grows, ensuring the correction remains permanent.

By emphasizing "Early Intervention" at the SSK centres, we capitalize on the window of time when the baby’s ligaments are most pliable, making the correction faster and more effective.

CURE India: A Legacy of Credibility and Impact

CURE India is proud to be recognized as one of the Top 10 NGO's in India/in the country. This prestigious standing is built on a foundation of credibility and an unwavering commitment to the transparency of fund usage. As a donor or supporter, you deserve to know that your Donation is creating a direct, measurable social impact.

As the largest clubfoot program in the world, we have achieved the distinction of having the most number of clubfoot children treated globally. Our national presence—operating in partnership with government hospitals across every state—is what allows us to reach remote corners of Murshidabad and provide world-class care at no cost to the families.

The Vision: RunFree2030

While we celebrate the awareness built in Murshidabad, we are acutely aware of the challenge that remains.

• The Current Impact: Currently, CURE India is treating 33% of children born with clubfoot in India.
• The 2030 Goal: Under our RunFree2030 initiative, we are aggressively scaling up to reach 70% of children born with clubfoot in the next 5 years.

To reach that 70% threshold, we must replicate the Murshidabad awareness model in every district in India. This scale-up is essential to ensure that the thousands of children currently "hidden" or undiagnosed are found and brought into our clinics.

How You Can Help Make Hope Walk

Building a clubfoot-free India is a collective effort involving medical professionals, donors, and the general public. Your involvement is the engine that drives our outreach.

• Make a Life-Changing Donation: Your financial support provides the casts, the FAB braces, and the logistics for coordinators like Ms. Arupa to reach these villages. We ensure complete transparency in how your gift is used to change a child's life. Donate now at: cure.org.in/donate.
• Volunteer Your Skills: Join our mission! We need passionate individuals to help with awareness drives, documentation, and community engagement.
• Advocate for Inclusion: Spread the word that clubfoot is 100% treatable. Help us normalize the conversation around disability and inclusion.

The awareness sessions in Ganeshpur, Joyenpur, and Bagdohor are "small steps" that lead to thousands of children running toward their dreams. With your support, we can turn these steps into a national movement.

Together, we are CURE India. Together, we make hope walk.