Meet the PCN Team

Dr. Shafique Pirani

MD, FRSCS

Vancouver, Canada

Dr. Shafique Pirani is a Clinical Professor at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of British Columbia Medical School. Dr. Pirani’s major interest is in clubfoot. He is widely known for his clubfoot assessment tool – the Pirani Clubfoot Severity Score, for his pioneering work with MRI showing how the Ponseti Method corrects the clubfoot deformity, and for developing sustainable national Ponseti clubfoot teaching and treatment programs in developing nations. He is the Project Director for both the Uganda Sustainable Clubfoot Care Project (USCCP) and Sustainable Clubfoot Care in Bangladesh (SCCB) – Government of Canada (Global Affairs Canada) supported initiatives to build capacity for sustainable Ponseti clubfoot management throughout their respective countries.

Most recently, he has partnered with digital technologists, Ponseti experts and others to collaborate on developing and distributing Ponseti Clubfoot Navigator, a clinical decision support/electronic medical record app, that hold much promise to reduce error and improve outcomes for children with clubfeet undergoing Ponseti clubfoot treatment.

Dr. Pirani has been widely recognized for his work. The World Health Organization has recognized the success of USCCP and recommended its model as a way of helping the disabled worldwide. His awards include the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeon’s Humanitarian Award, the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America Humanitarian Award, the Canadian Orthopaedic Association’s Award for Excellence, the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America’s Angie Kuo Award, the University of British Columbia’s Impact in the Community Award, and Fraser Health’s Above and Beyond Award.

Pankaj Jain

PCN Software Lead

India

Pankaj Jain, a technologist from India, began working on the Ponseti Clubfoot Navigator in 2015. His inspiration stemmed from personal encounters with the tertiary healthcare system in 2013, where he observed numerous errors in medical practices, particularly in diagnoses and clinical decision-making. As a technologist, he was fascinated by the precision and reliability of autopilot systems and sought to bring similar efficiency to healthcare.

Pankaj worked closely with Dr. Mathew Varghese at one of the largest clubfoot clinics in the world. For months, he stood by Dr. Varghese’s side, learning to diagnose and treat clubfoot using the Ponseti method. After developing a prototype of his software, Pankaj presented it at a medical conference in India, where it caught the attention of Dr. Pirani, a renowned expert in the field.

Since then, Pankaj has collaborated with Dr. Pirani and other healthcare professionals worldwide to refine his innovation, now known as the Ponseti Clubfoot Navigator. This software is currently being used in 12 clinics across multiple countries, with aspirations to expand its reach to clinics in Latin America and beyond.

Dr. Dalia Sepúlveda

MD

Santiago, Chile

I am Dr. Dalia Sepúlveda, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon working in Santiago, Chile. In the past I have been involved in several educational activities of the specialty all through Latin America. Some of those educational projects became a base to organize country, continental and even intercontinental experts’ group in mayor topics in Pediatric Orthopedics. (Musculo skeletal Trauma, Hip diseases, clubfoot, Achondroplasia and other rare diseases).

The one that has a favorite place in my practice and dedication is the foundation of PIA-LAT, today a society that gathers all countries in LA, its members are specialists in the treatment of Club Foot, based in the Ignacio Ponseti method and philosophy.

To me, another prominent and dear activity today, is to share work with this important international group of specialists that are developing an innovative digital application to improve the quality of treatment for clubfoot and decrease errors in its orthopedic management.

Dr. Rafiq Nawaz Khan Mintu

MBBS, D-Ortho

Bangladesh

I am Dr. Rafiq Nawaz Khan Mintu. Everyone knows me by my nickname Dr. Mintu! I am an orthopedic surgeon. I completed my MBBS in 2001 from Rangpur Medical College, Rangpur, which is affiliated to Rajshahi University. Later, I completed my Post Graduate Diploma( D-Ortho.)  in Orthopedics from BSMMU (Bangabondhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University) in 2015.

I have been working as a consultant clubfoot in National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR) since last 2018. This was a program running under the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) in the Government of Bangladesh. NITOR is a 1,000 bed only orthopedic hospital. Earlier, I also worked as a Clinic Manager and Technical Consultant in Dr. Pirani’s Sustainable Clubfoot Care of Bangladesh (SCCB) Program from 2015 to 2017. As such, I have been dealing with clubfoot exclusively for the past 10 years! During this time, I worked as Dr. Pirani’s assistant while training orthopedic doctors on the Ponseti Method.

Later, I played a key role in training orthopedic doctors at various times in the National Clubfoot Care Program of the Government of Bangladesh, with the support of Bangladesh Orthopaedic Society. On an average, 20-30 new clubfoot children are admitted to our clinic every month for treatment. That’s about 240 to over 300 per year! On 05/12/2024, we started treating 2,500 children with clubfoot using the Ponseti method. I have been involved in the PCN group  from the very beginning.

Dr. Vineet Arora

MBBS, MS (Ortho)

New Delhi, India

Dr. Vineet Arora is a Senior Orthopedic Surgeon based in New Delhi, India, with extensive experience in the field. He completed his medical education at the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, earning both MBBS and MS degrees. Dr. Arora’s primary focus lies in Pediatric Orthopedics, particularly in the treatment of Clubfoot patients.

For the past decade, he has collaborated with Cure India International, dedicating his efforts to the management of Clubfoot using the Ponseti method. Dr. Arora conducts a weekly clinic at DDU Hospital, New Delhi, contributing significantly to the field. His commitment to advancing CTEV management is influenced by Professor Shafique Pirani and Dr. Mathew Varghese from India. He currently serves as the Assistant Editor for JCOT.

Dr. Anja Helmers

MD

Berlin, Germany

Dr. Helmers leads the center for pediatric orthopedics at the Evangelische Waldkrankenhaus Spandau teaching hospital in Berlin. She has long-standing experience in both conservative and surgical treatment of clubfeet.

Since 2005, she has successfully used the Ponseti Method of clubfoot treatment and taught it to hundreds of colleagues during seminars and congresses around the world. She has treated children with clubfoot in India, Mali, South Sudan, and Togo on multiple stays abroad.

In 2020 she started collaborating on the development of a smartphone app to reduce medical errors when using the Ponseti Method. She has used Ponseti Clubfoot Navigator in her clinic since 2020 and is convinced that the app has improved the results of treatment.

Dr. Elaine Joughin

BSC (Hon), MD, FRCSC

Calgary, Canada

Dr. Joughin is a recently retired pediatric orthopaedic surgeon from Calgary, Alberta, practicing at the Alberta Children’s Hospital for 30+ years. She has used the Ponseti technique since 2001 after attending a hands-on seminar hosted by Dr. Pirani and featuring Dr. Ignacio Ponseti.

She joined the Ponseti Clubfoot Navigator team as a Ponseti expert. Partnering with Dr. Pirani, she is a director in Clubfoot Navigator Ltd., the business created to provide PCN to Ponseti practitioners worldwide.

Dr. Renaud Rossillon

MD

Brussels, Belgium

Dr. Rosillon graduated as medical doctor from the University of Louvain (UCL) in Belgium in 1984 and as an orthopedic surgeon in 1990. He met Dr. Shafique Pirani during clinical fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto Canada in 1990. At the time, clubfeet were almost always treated by a complete surgical release.

At the annual meeting of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, Dr. Ponseti demonstrated the technique in Dr. Pirani’s clubfoot clinic. Since then I treated all my patients’ clubfeet following his original method.

Dr. Rosillon practices as a full time pediatric orthopedic surgeon at St Pierre Hospital in Belium treating scoliosis, hip malformation , genetic disease and clubfoot.

Dr. Arnold Besselaar

MD

Eindhoven, Netherlands

I am Arnold Besselaar, pediatric orthopedic and trauma surgeon. I was trained in Utrecht and Maastricht in Holland and was fellow in the Children’s hospital in Utrecht. I started my consultancy in the Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, after 12 years, our group of orthopedic surgeons decided to center the pediatric orthopedic care in Maxima Medical center what worked out very well. In 2011 we launched a scientifically based Dutch Clubfoot Guideline, a change for the clubfoot treatment in our country. At this moment I am running the clubfoot unit in Maxima Medical Center, one of the referral centers for clubfoot issues in the Netherlands. Together with two consultants and with important help from dedicated plaster physicians we care for the clubfoot patients. 

I am also happy to work in a wonderful scientific group where we produce a lot of scientific clubfoot research, to evolve the clubfoot treatment further. One of the promising tools to bring the clubfoot treatment further and resolve the issue of unwanted variance is the Ponseti Clubfoot Navigator!

Dr. Charles Bizimana

MD

Rukara, Rwanda

Dr. Charles Bizimana is a Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon interested in clubfoot, working at Gahini Hospital which is the main referral center of clubfoot in Rwanda.

He runs a clubfoot clinic twice weekly whereby half of the patients are referred from all over the country.

He is currently a member of the international group working on an app called PCN (Ponseti Clubfoot Navigator) which intends to guide clinicians on decision making, hence decreasing medical errors as far as Ponseti treatment is concerned.

He has a passion in the treatment of clubfoot and will continue to make a change in the lives of children born with clubfoot wherever in the world through research and teaching, and treatment.

Naomi Davis

BMedSci BM BS FRCSEd (Tr & Ortho)

Manchester, UK

I am an established expert in the Ponseti Method with over 20 years experience of managing children with congenital foot deformity including clubfoot (talipes) and congenital vertical talus. ​ I work closely with Denise Watson-Tann to deliver evidenced based practice with caring support and advice for families from pre-natal diagnosis of clubfoot to young adulthood. I have a wide experience of managing complex and atypical foot deformity and those related to underlying neurological abnormalities including spina bifida and CMT. I also have a wider, more general experience in childhood orthopaedic disorders and growth related problems. ​

I have a keen interest in children’s rehabilitation, return to activity and school and as such will support families to enable their children to maximise their abilities after any orthopaedic treatment. ​ I graduated from Nottingham University Medical School in 1988. Most of my orthopaedic training was in and around Manchester with my paediatric fellowships there and in Toronto. ​ I have had a busy general paediatric orthopaedic and clubfoot practice in Manchester since my appointment as a consultant in October 2001. I lead the specialist children’s foot service in Manchester, which includes children with complex congenital foot deformities such as clubfoot (talipes) and congenital vertical talus, and those from underlying neurological conditions (inc. CMT and Spina Bifida) ​

I was fortunate enough to learn the Ponseti Method from Dr. Ponseti himself and had a close clinical relationship with him and Dr. Fred Dietz for many years. I have been involved in teaching internationally and am recognised as an expert in The Ponseti Method. ​ Additionally, I have been clinical lead of the North West Children’s Major Trauma Network since its inception in 2011 and have expertise in the management of mass casualty incidents. ​ I lead the Northern and National Children’s Rehabilitation Boards, represent children’s services on the National Clinical Reference Group for Disability and Rehabilitation and the Joint Speciality Committe for Rehabilitation.