A total of 89 patients with cleft lip and cleft palate conditions have undergone reconstructive surgeries carried out by specialist Ghanaian and foreign surgeons at the Eastern Regional hospital.
The free surgeries were funded and conducted by Operation Smile Ghana.
Beneficiaries were mostly children with few adults from across the country.
The beneficiaries and their parent or guardian were provided free transportation, accomodation and nutritious meals for days.
The patients were also given speech therapy and nutrition care by Operation Smile Ghana team.
They commended operation smile for the interventions restoring dignity to their children.
Cleft lip and cleft palate are most of the common congenital disorder among children in parts of the world.
Although,Research shows the incidence of cleft lip and palate are more common in Asian and Asian-American populations and less common in Africans and African-Americans, many children in Ghana continue to suffer this congenital disorders.
Babies born with a cleft lip or cleft palate may have difficulties eating (both from the breast and a bottle). They may also have trouble speaking, and they often have fluid behind their eardrum that can affect hearing.
Depending on the case, some also have issues with their teeth.
The stigma associated with this condition is similarly worrying. The cause of this condition however largely remains unknown.
The stigma associated with this condition is similarly worrying. It affects confidence of the patient and sometimes discourages them from going to school.
Michael Mireku,a resident of Kwahu Mpreaso also a level 200 student of UCC living with this condition throughout his life but for the recent reconstructive surgery by operation smile ,tells his story how the stigma nearly impaired his education.
He said the condition affected his confidence in actively participating in academic activities as many did stigmatized against him.
In most cases, there is no cause of cleft lip or cleft palate, and parents can’t prevent it.
However,most scientists believe clefts are caused by a combination of genetic (inherited) and environmental (related to the natural world) factors.
Dr.Emmanuel Davies, a cleft Surgeon with operation Smile said another cause of a cleft lip or cleft palate may be related to medication the birthing parent took during pregnancy.
Other predisposing factors he said include drug abuse or exposure to viruses during pregnancy.
He said reconstructive surgery for cleft lip and palate is expensive in Ghana preventing many poor families from accessing such interventions for their children hence commended Operation Smile for the free surgeries.
Ofosuhemeng Clement,Patient Coordinator of Operation Smile Ghana,an none for Profit organization providing free surgery to persons with cleft lip and palate says over 2000 patients in Ghana have been operated on since 2011.
He urged families with children or adults having such conditions to contact Operation Smile Ghana for free surgery.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
