The largest cleft-focused organisation, Smile Train, has continued in its efforts to provide free surgeries to children and adults born with cleft lips and palate across the country.
The organisation made the call at the ongoing two-day media workshop in Lagos to augment awareness, which is the biggest challenge facing cleft treatment in Nigeria and globally.
The Senior Programme Manager for Smile Train, Victoria Awazie, maintained that this major obstacle stunting cleft treatment leads to stigma, unfounded myths and misinformation against innocent children.
She echoed the goal of the organisation – to give every child with a cleft lip the opportunity for a full and healthy life.
Today, Smile Train has performed over 32,150 surgeries for children and adults born with cleft lips and palate in the east, west, north and south of the nation.
Awazie reiterated: “And patients can get free surgeries and comprehensive treatment – feeding and nutrition, surgery, dental care, ENT care, speech services, orthodontics, and counselling and support.”
She cited the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimate that over 6,180 children are born with cleft lips in Nigeria
That is why as an organisation with a track record of 1.5 million cleft surgeries successfully carried out since it was founded in 1999, “We have trained over 2,100 medical professionals on how to perform cleft surgeries”, the senior programme manager said.
In partnership with 1,100 hospitals, Awazie highlighted that 540 babies are born daily with a cleft. “That is why we have partnered with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) at Idi-Araba where patients can get a holistic treatment at no cost.”
To prevent the surge in babies born with cleft lips, a Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial and Cleft Surgeon at LUTH, Prof Mobalanle Ogunlewe warned pregnant women to be intentional about what they consume.
She emphasised: “Be careful of herbal concoctions. We haven’t subjected those substances to medical evaluation or even know the dosage to take.”
The cleft expert listed the intake of alcohol, and smoking during pregnancy. Other effects of unrepaired cleft on patients include malnutrition, the risk of aspirating food is high, social stigmatisation, psychosocial issues, low self-esteem, and difficulties in social interaction.
Ogunlewe described cleft as a congenital anomaly that a baby is born with. “It is not a life-threatening defect. It is not a curse. It is treatable. Children with cleft after treatment can live a very good and quality life. Services are readily available for repair.”
She urged caregivers to be committed and dedicated, noting that Smile Train has made it itch-free and easier for them.
“The organisation provides vehicles and other financial support for the families to bring the children without any worries,” she explained that this is to knock off possible concerns about transport fare and financial status.
