Global Grant GG listing on Projects webpage

Ponseti Method Train-the-Trainers in Colombia

May 8, 2022

Dr. Jose Morcuende of Ponseti International Association (USA) recently traveled to Bogotá, Colombia to facilitate a Ponseti Method Train-the-Trainers of 10 pediatric orthopaedic surgeons.

He visited Ponseti Clinics at Clínica Infantil Santa María Del Lago, Hospital Infantil Universitario de San José, Fundación Cardioinfantil and Instituto Roosevelt.

Participants were:
Astrid Medina Cañón, Fundación Cardioinfantil, Bogotá
Clara Trujillo, Clínica Noel, Medellín
Diego Ortiz, Instituto Roosevelt, Bogotá
Jessica Suárez, Club Noel, Cali
Luis Becerra, Clínica Medical Duarte, Cúcuta
Luis Céspedes, Fundación Foscal, Floridablanca
Marco Mahecha, Hospital Infantil de San José, Bogotá
Martha Valencia, Hospital Infantil de San José, Instituto Roosevelt, Bogotá
Pilar Quesada, Hospital Federico Lleras Acosta, Ibagué
Sonia Quevedo, Clínica Infantil Santa María del Lago, Bogotá

Details provided by Sonia Quevedo.

Argentina initiates Ponseti Method training activities

April 6, 2022

In late March 2022, a VTT training program for doctors from seven hospitals in the City of Buenos Aires and the Provinces of Bueunos Aires and Santa Fe, where 70% of the child population with clubfoot reside.

They are the following:
1. Claudio Zin Pediatric Hospital, city of Malvinas Argentinas, province of Buenos Aires (training center)
2. Children’s Hospital “Sor Juana Ludovica” – La Plata, capital of the province of Buenos Aires
3. Children’s Hospital Dr. Pedro de Elizalde (formerly Casa Cuna), city of Buenos Aires
4. Dr. Juan P. Garrahan Pediatric Hospital, city of Buenos Aires
5. Victor J Vilela Children’s Hospital, city of Rosario, province of Santa Fe
6. Pediatric Hospital Federico Falcón, city of Buenos Aires
7. Prof. Alejandro Posadas National Hospital, city of Buenos Aires

At the end of a comprehensive training, followed by adequate guidance and clinical experience, they will be fully qualified to correct the deformity of clubfoot using the Ponseti Method (PM). Next, they will establish “Ponseti Clinics”, in their hospitals. The offices will be remodeled in order to provide them with an image that identifies them with Ponseti International Association (PIA) and Rotary International.

We will offer a space attuned to the interests of the children who will be cared for there, knowing that emotional balance plays an important role in the patient’s recovery.

Recently trained professionals will be prepared to raise awareness of this deformity and its treatment.

Likewise, the parents of the children in treatment will be involved.

This project will be carried out in collaboration with PIA.
The training with the VTT will be carried out over one week. Once completed, Dr. Miguel Paz of Argentina will make periodic visits to the new Ponseti Clinics in each of the hospitals. In October, the Leader of the VTT, Dr. José Morcuende, will return to supervise the hospitals and observe and report on progress in the application of the Ponseti Method in the aforementioned Clinics. The project will provide the material necessary – casts and braces – to care for patients using the PM. Each medical professional will also be given reference material identifying Rotary International and PIA in the form of a follow-up workbook.

The total for this project is USD$49,000 and was financed by:
RC of Grand Bourg
RC Iowa City AM
Rotary International D4905-Argentina
Rotary International D6000 – USA
The Rotary Foundation

Theoretical training and practice will be carried out in the Claudio Zin Pediatric Hospital in Malvinas and in the Dr. Juan P. Garrahan Pediatric Hospital, city of Buenos Aires. Donations were delivered which consisted for the installation of Ponseti Clinics: desks, multifunction furniture, chairs, stools, stretchers with covers, vinyl, manuals, family Guides, triptych posters, braces, plaster and gauze. The delivery of materials is nearly complete.

Visits to the hospitals will continue in order to carry out planned follow-up.

2022_April_Bulletin_RC_of_Grand_Bourg_Argentina 4 6 2022

RAG4Clubfoot at the ALL Iowa District Conference, April 22 & 23

March 26, 2022


Visit RAG4Clubfoot in the House of Friendship during the ALL Iowa District Conference in Coralville, April 22 & 23. Iowa Districts 5970 and 6000 are partners in the formation of the Rotary Action Group for Clubfoot (RAG4Clubfoot). Let’s celebrate together our achievements to support Ponseti Method trainings in many countries: Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia, Colombia, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Peru and Ecuador. Where will we make an impact next?

RAG4Clubfoot preparing to be in Houston, June 4 – 8, 2022

March 26, 2022

Visit RAG4Clubfoot Booth #1018 at the House of Friendship in Houston, Texas.

It’s been too long since we’ve been able to talk with Rotarians in-person about the amazing work being accomplished to train orthopedists in the Ponseti Method. Give us 5 minutes of your time to learn where trainings projects are happening and which countries are ready to find partners to develop future projects. We look forward to seeing you!!

Ponseti Method Training Activities begin in Argentina

March 26, 2022

Training for the treatment of clubfoot with the Ponseti Method was held in Buenos Aires on March 21 – 25, 2022. A very productive and high-quality experience due to the excellence of the trainers, Dr. Mónica Nogueira and Dr. José Morcuende. There are 8 participants, from 8 public hospitals in the country. The course consists of theoretical content with talks, practice with manual work and plaster training, discussion of cases and patients in hospitals. Participants are very happy to be able to carry out this experience.

Submitted by
Dr. Miguel J.M. Paz
Jefe del Servicio de Ortopedia y Traumatología Infantil
Hospital Universitario Austral

Ponseti Method Training activities begin in Argentina.

Ponseti Method Training for the Treatment of Clubfoot in Ecuador (developing project)

January 30, 2022

Members of Rotary Club of St. Helena (CA, D5130) and Rotary Club of Quito Equinoccio (Ecuador, D4400) are in initial discussions and communication to partner to create a two-year Ponseti Method training grant in Ecuador.  It is estimated 440 babies are born with clubfoot each year.  The developing project would provide comprehensive Ponseti Method training of 12 orthopaedic surgeons and the establishment of 12 Ponseti Method Reference Clinics.  Three experienced PM trainers will serve as instructors and mentors.  Additional partner organizations include:  Ponseti International Association Latin America (PIA/LA); and orthopaedic societies – SCCOT, SLAOTI, SEOT (Ecuador Orthopaedic Society).

Rotary changing lives of children born with clubfoot

August 15, 2021

Rotary Action Group for Clubfoot Activities

In the seven years since formation of the Rotary Action Group for Clubfoot, our organization has supported six training projects to advance the skills of orthopedic surgeons in Latin America and the Caribbean in the Ponseti Method for treatment of clubfoot.  The Rotary Foundation approved vocational training team global grants to fund five of the training projects.  The sixth project involved a small number of physicians and was funded with other Rotary support since its budget was not large enough to qualify for a global grant.

An Action Group goal is to have enough orthopedic surgeons trained in the Ponseti Method in every country so that every child born with clubfoot can have their feet straightened shortly after birth.  Statistically, clubfoot afflicts one child in each 750 births so the numbers of physicians needing to be trained is readily calculated with demographic data.

The Action Group has made significant progress toward the goal in the six countries where trainings have been accomplished or are in progress.  As the table shows, grants exceeding $525,000 have financed fundamental training and mentorship for 152 physicians.  Additionally, the grants have provided for advanced training in the practice and teaching of the Ponseti Method for 30 physicians who already had experience with the method.

Since Rotary clubs coordinate training activities and volunteer professionals provide much of the instruction and mentoring, the costs of our Action Group’s projects are moderated.

The effectiveness of the training approach was confirmed by Dr. Astrid Medina Cañon and Dr. Amparo Buendía Hernández, both members of the Rotary Club of Bogotá Centenario.  Dr. Cañon was one of the principal trainers for the Colombia project and Dr. Hernández was the primary contact for the grant.  In the report to The Rotary Foundation they wrote, “The trained orthopedists had very flattering words since none of them had had a teaching ‘hands on’ with respect to the Ponseti Method. They also congratulated the team and thanked Rotary for providing the tools to carry out this course. Having enough time to learn something new and do it first on plastic models and then on patients was invaluable.”

Submitted by Brock Earnhardt

D6000 Global Grants Action Team, Chair

Rotary Action Group for Clubfoot Ponseti Training Support – 2021.09.30