Dimapur, April 26 (EMN): A cheerful atmosphere permeated the corridors of Eden Medical Centre in Dimapur as 35 children, who just a while ago were suffering from cleft lip and cleft palate, received a new leash of life. Thanks to medical charity Mission Smile, they can now face the world confidently.
Mission Smile conducted a free cleft surgery camp. The event concluded on Wednesday, April 26.
A majority of the patients who received treatment were from the rural areas of Nagaland. The members of Mission Smile observed that the low level of knowledge about the ailment in the region was responsible for cleft lip and cleft palate cases being neglected. Likewise, it has also created a backlog of cases, it was observed.
About 2,000 to 3,000 untreated persons with cleft lip and cleft palate are estimated to be in the state, said Dr. Hiteswar Sharma, the medical director of Mission Smile to Eastern Mirror.
The target of Mission Smile was to treat at least 50 patients. However, only 39 patients–most of them from the rural areas –registered for free surgery.
Accordingly, 35 surgeries were performed. Four of the patients who were found medically unfit for the surgery, will be treated after a month in Guwahati, said Jandu Deb, programme co-ordinator of the charity organisation.
The team conveyed that the numbers of patients they received are less with their target of 50.
“Though the exact cause of cleft lip and palate is still not established, anomaly can be detected during pregnancy through ultrasound. However such cleft lip / palate ultrasound test is not encouraged in India because of abortion cases,” Dr. Sharma said.
There are many factors involved in cleft lip and cleft palate, said Dr. Sharma, while defining it as congenital deformity that also have dietary factors. Expecting mothers specially need to be extra cautious with their medication and avoid the use of medicine without a qualified doctor’s prescription, the physician said.
Though the prevalence rate of cleft lip and palate in the northeast region cannot be ascertained, Dr. Sharma said that the prevalence rate depends on the number of population; there is one patient with the deformity among 500 people.
The patients’ guardians told the Eastern Mirror that their children can now smile after the surgery. ‘Everything has changed for the better,’ they said. A parent said that she would be able to send her four year old daughter to school thanks to the successful surgery. They can now move on from the social stigma that has been attached to facial deformities.
It was in partnership with NEEPCO Ltd. that Mission Smile organised the free cleft surgery camp, which was hosted by Eden Medical Centre. The camp was also supported by the National Health Mission, Nagaland and the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram of Nagaland.
Mission Smile (formerly known as Operation Smile India) is a medical charity dedicated to providing free, life-changing cleft care and surgeries to children born with Cleft lip, Cleft palate and other facial deformities. Since its inception in 2002, the website of the organisation states, it has screened more than 35,000 cleft affected children and have performed more than 25,000 safe corrective surgeries in India.
