Indore: Awareness Camps Held To Combat Congenital Deformities

Indore (Madhya Pradesh):To spread awareness about congenital deformity at the community level, the health department and district administration are organising camps to identify and treat patients with disorders like club foot, cleft lips, cleft palates, and others.

A club-foot camp is being organised every Tuesday to celebrate Congenital Deformity Awareness Month to identify and treat birth-related deformities.

“The objective of the camp is to make the community aware of the early identification and effective and timely treatment of birth defects. Following the same, various activities are being organised at the community level and in health institutions in the district. During the camp awareness sessions regarding the deformities related to crooked legs, congenital heart disease, cleft lip, cleft palate, and deaf-mute (0 to 05 years),” CMHO Dr. BS Saitya stated in a press release.

The health department is collaborating with the Anushka Foundation for the same. ASHA workers are being trained to motivate the community about the importance of a balanced diet for adolescent girls. 

People were also informed about the importance of vaccinating women with folic acid tablets after marriage, followed by vaccinations for spinal-related congenital malformations, crooked legs, congenital heart disease, cleft lip, cleft palate, and deaf-mute (0–05 years).

Number of kids suffer from congenital deformity per 1000 births

Congenital heart disease: 08

Neural tube deformity: 04

Congenital deafness: 06

Cleft lip and Cleft palate: 01

Crooked legs: 02

Congenital cataract. 01

*Data is according to a study conducted in the year 2005 by health department

Precaution at early stage

If congenital malformations are identified early with correct health behaviors and timely treatment, these problems can be avoided to a great extent. It is often seen that if a child is delayed in speaking, the parents consider it a normal process and ignore it, which later becomes serious. If the parents notice any abnormality at the time of birth of the child, then they must take him to the 'District Hospital or District Early Intervention Centre' (D.E.I.C.).