Smile Train International, an NGO, says it has conducted more than 20,000 free Cleft surgeries from 2012 to date in Nigeria.
Ms Susannah Schaefer, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President of Smile Train, said this in Abuja at a workshop with the theme “Nursing care Saves lives”.
She said that the cost of each surgery was valued at 400 dollars,
Dr Seidu Bello, President, National Association of Oral Maxillofacial Surgeons, Presenting plaque to the CEO of Smile Train.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Cleft lip and Cleft Palate are birth defects that occur when a baby’s lip or mouth do not form properly during pregnancy.
The CEO said the gesture was in line with the vision of the organisation at ensuring save and quality care for every child born with cleft lips and to enable them live a productive life.
Schaefer, who decried the myth and misconception surrounding children born with cleft in the society and their immediate families, advised the populace to desist from killing and abandonment of children born with such challenge.
She assured that with surgeries and appropriate treatment and care, such children would live a better life and fulfil their destiny like every other children.
“We have done well over 20,000 cleft surgeries; for the treatment of other comprehensive care programmes we have done over a thousand in Nigeria.
“Being that our programme is scalable we are doing much more every day to improve the quality of lives and health system in Nigeria.
“Smile Train is all about giving access to care and providing fund and resources in terms of capacity building for local professionals in Nigeria and across the globe,” she said.
Schaefer said that the training aimed at improving nursing care and patients monitoring in the whole of Africa and across the globe was targeting 25 nurses in Africa.
“Our training globally is to strengthen healthcare and to enable them offer quality care to children born with cleft,” she said.
According to her, the organisation has so far trained 150 nurses on nursing care for children with cleft lips and palate, among others.
Dr Jafaru Momoh, the Chief Medical Director, National Hospital Abuja, commended Smile Train for restoring smiles and hope to children born with cleft lips and palate.
Momoh also lauded the organisation for its efforts in building capacity of the indigenous care givers.
He emphasised that some of the hospital’s anaesthetics as well as speech therapists have benefited from special training by the organisation.
Momoh said that caring for patients with Cleft Lip and Palate has been the passion for the hospital management.
According to him, the hospital rekindled the partnership of Smile Train by setting up multidisciplinary Cleft team comprising specialists from eight different departments.
He said the team was made up of people who have done quite a number of surgeries, Orthodontic treatments and speech therapies.
“We can boldly say we are a One Stop Cleft Clear Hospital for about one and a half years now.
“Some of the achievement of Smile Train includes Cleft Up, Palate Surgeries given free to patients at 400 dollars per patient, Orthodontic (Braces) treatment, as well speech and language therapy for patients.
“The hospital organised a step down training for 25 nurses last year, we believe with further training of nurses from our sub-region there will be remarkable reduction in post-operative mortality.
“This training will not only enhance more confidence, it will also boost the morale of the care givers,” he noted.
NAN reports that highpoint of the event was the presentation of plaque to the CEO of Smile Train by Dr Seidu Bello, representative of the President, National Association of Oral Maxillofacial Surgeons, and Prof. Sunday Ajike.
(NAN)
