Celebrating the Power of Partnership and the Ponseti Method
2025 marked an exciting new chapter for clubfoot care at Rahima Moosa Mother and Child
Hospital in Gauteng, as they joined the Steps Clubfoot Care programme as a partner clinic.
The clinic team celebrated the start of 2026 with their first patient graduation from clubfoot
treatment. This exciting milestone marks more than the end of one child’s journey. It confirms the success of early intervention, teamwork, and the life changing impact of the Ponseti Method.
Physiotherapist Itumeleng Matlala championed the establishment of the clinic at the hospital following her Ponseti clubfoot training at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital in 2024. After identifying the need for a structured service, Itumeleng encouraged her colleagues from Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy to join the training and secured the full support of the senior Orthopaedic Doctor.
The new Ponseti clubfoot clinic opened in February 2025 to improve access to early,
specialised care with a collaborative and patient-centred approach. The clinic runs every Wednesday with two physiotherapists: Itumeleng and Nondumiso, and two Occupational
Therapists: Rabelani and Celine, supported by the Orthopaedics Department Doctor.
The clinic’s encouraging growth in 2025 is a powerful indicator of both demand and
dedication. Between February and December, they enrolled 63 new patients, with families
travelling from across Gauteng to access this vital service. They recorded 410 total visits, and
154 children actively receiving treatment.
Itumeleng says:
“While the clinic is off to a strong start, growing community awareness remains essential. We
hope to strengthen referral pathways with neighbouring clinics and hospitals to ensure more
babies receive timely treatment. Access to braces also remains a challenge, as patients must
be referred to CHBAH Prosthetics and Orthotics which can sometimes be a financial strain for
families. Collaboration with STEPS clubfoot care has been invaluable, particularly through
parent-education materials that support treatment adherence and help reduce drop-out
rates.”
The Rahima Moosa Clubfoot Clinic is a powerful example of what becomes possible when
committed healthcare professionals, training, and partnership come together. As the clinic
continues to grow, each child treated and every graduation celebrated stands as a reminder
that clubfoot is treatable and that together, we can help children walk toward a future
without disability.
RMMCH is committed to offering quality, accessible clubfoot care and we encourage
partners, clinics and communities to help spread the word.
