Dimapur, March 18 (EMN): Twenty children with cleft lips received new lease of life following successful operations conducted by Shija Hospital, Imphal in collaboration with Oking Hospital, Kohima, during the four-day surgery programme.
The operations were carried out at Oking Hospital in Kohima under the banner ‘Smile train.’ It also marked the completion of 40th phase of Smile Train held in partnership with Shija Hospital and Oking Hospital, Kohima, an update from the latter stated on Wednesday.
Smile Train India, the world’s largest cleft organisation, supported the programme in Nagaland to provide free treatment to children born with clefts. Altogether, twenty children from across different parts of Nagaland received free surgery, which was conducted from March 8 to the 11th. Besides free treatment, free medicines and travelling allowance were provided to patients, the release stated.
The cleft surgery programme was organised by Shija Hospitals and Research Centre, Imphal, in collaboration with Oking Hospital, Kohima.
It marked the completion of the 40th phase of Smile Train, which was initiated in 2012. Through the programme, it had provided 445 free cleft surgeries in Nagaland through this collaboration.
Since 2000, Smile Train India has been actively involved in supporting free cleft treatment for children with cleft lips across India through a network of 150+ hospitals. Smile Train India and Shija Hospitals and Research Centre, Imphal, have provided 4000+ cleft surgeries in Manipur and neighbouring states since 2006.
Congratulating Shija Hospitals and Research Centre and Oking Hospital on successful completion of the 40th phase of the cleft surgery programme, Ishani Biswas, programme manager of Smile Train India said, “The dedication of our partner surgeons and their team, who travelled to support the children, is commendable. With their efforts we are reaching more and more children in Nagaland and helping them lead fulfilling lives. We look forward to continuing this journey with our partner hospital and achieving milestones by supporting more free cleft surgeries.”
Talking about the Nagaland cleft outreach programme, Dr. Kh. Palin Singh, director of Smile Train Project said, “Cleft is treatable and awareness around the same is very important. Such mega camps help us reach maximum children and provide them required support timely. We are grateful for the support extended by Smile Train India and its commitment to support world class treatment for children born with cleft lip and/or palate, absolutely free of cost.”
In India, it was estimated that more than 35,000 babies are born with clefts every year. Hundreds of thousands of children with untreated clefts live in isolation. Smile Train India’s sustainable model focuses on training and empowering local medical professionals to provide cleft treatment in their own communities. Through the sustainable model, Smile Train India has supported more than 600,000 free cleft surgeries across India through a network of 150+ partner hospitals.
Cleft patients, who wish to avail free cleft surgery could reach Smile Train on toll free cleft helpline no. 1800 103 8301.
About Smile Train India
Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. It provides sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children’s lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive.
About Shija Cleft Project
Shija Hospitals and Research Institute (SHRI) is a 250 bedded multi-specialty hospital with 46 specialties including super-specialty located at eco-friendly Langol, outskirts of Imphal, providing secondary and tertiary healthcare in the region with more than 860 dedicated trained caregivers. Since its inception in 1985 as a mono-practice clinic to the first ever ISO certified hospital, Shija Hospitals has had a meaningful journey and looks forward to a remarkable future ahead by adding cardiac science, kidney and cornea transplantation, infertility treatment, joint replacement surgery, wellness park, cancer and palliative care etc.