Operation Smile brings a smile to children in Mbombela

Various stakeholders took hands and to transform smiles for children in Mpumalanga through cleft surgery.

Operation Smile helps thousands of children living with cleft lips and cleft palates to better eat and speak, and to live with ease in their communities.

This organisation, in partnership with the Mpumalanga Department of Health, supported by MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet and many Mbombela businesses, brought together a team of medical volunteers to transform the lives of 23 people, mostly children, with cleft lips and cleft palates, during a three-day surgical programme at Rob Ferreira Hospital.

The programme started on May 19 and ended on May 21.

Cleft lips and cleft palates occur if the tissue that makes up the roof of the mouth does not join together completely during pregnancy.
With the support of Mafube Coal and Internet Content Adaptation Protocol (ICAP), the organisation has donated mobile dental equipment to the dentistry department at Rob Ferreira Hospital to help restart the school outreach and oral health awareness programmes, which include a cleft lips awareness campaign serving 15 primary schools in lower socio-economic areas around Mbombela.

There are three elements to the programme which each year reaches over 6 000 learners at 15 schools: conducting dental screening for learners to identify any dental work needed; implementing and monitoring brushing programmes so they brush daily at school; and conducting basic dental treatment inclusive of fissure sealants, with consent from their parents.

The new equipment includes a mobile dental chair, stool, portable light, and portable unit with instruments, valued at R240 000.
Without surgery, children with clefts face serious and debilitating long-term health problems and will likely suffer from emotional abuse and isolation.

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Some of the patients shared their journey of how they were excluded and called names in the communities due to their condition. Some said they were told that they were cursed and some kids were told not to play with them.

A mother of two from Mkhuhlu, Mahlatsi Matsebula, said she is grateful for the amazing work the organisation is doing.
“I had a cleft palate inside the mouth and my one-year-old had a cleft lip outside and inside the mouth. I was not operated because of my age but they did an obturator that helped me with my speech,” she said.

“We attempt to get to each and every patient as soon as we can; we will address cleft lips within three to six months and cleft palates within nine to 12 months, in order to correct and prevent any speech pattern difficulties and deviations. This way the child can be educated, communicate properly, be nourish properly and be part of a community,” said Dr Bryan Zimmerman, vice president of Medical Quality Operation Smile International.

“Operation Smile is proud to partner with the Mpumalanga Department of Health as part of our commitment to strengthening health systems and delivering comprehensive cleft care, of which dental is a critical component,” said Sarah Scarth, executive director for Operation Smile South Africa.

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“The longer a child born with a cleft must wait for surgery, the more serious their health, developmental and psychological problems will likely be. The good news is that cleft conditions can be surgically repaired in as little as 45 minutes by a specialist medical team,” said Zimmerman.

The MEC for health, Sasekani Manzini, said it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Operation Smile South Africa.
“We signed a MOU for three years. Out of the 34 children in the province with cleft lips and cleft palates, we have screened 27 and only operated on 23. The others who were screened because of other comorbidities, were not operated on.”

Manzini said the department appreciates what the organisation is doing and how it has trained local professional healthcare workers.

“All this is made possible thanks to our committed volunteers and our generous supporters, including i’langa Mall and tenants Mugg and Bean, Cappuccinos and Doppio Zero; Crossing Shopping Centre with Lupa Osteria and Crossing SUPERSPAR; Southern Sun Mbombela, Easy Stay and Woolworths, which partnered with us to make a difference in the lives of children they have never met,” said Scarth.