More than 60 patients screened for cleft palate
Its success is thanks to selfless volunteers from all over the world who convened in Mbombela to assist residents.
MBOMBELA – The provincial Department of Health, working together with representatives of Operation Smile, successfully operated on 56 patients and screened 61 with a cleft lip or cleft palate during its recent campaign.
According to spokesperson, Dumsani Malamule, the patients came from different parts of the country including Mpumalanga, Free State, North West, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal. The campaign started on September 28 and ended on October 8.
Its success is thanks to selfless volunteers from all over the world who convened in Mbombela to assist residents. Sipho Motau, the chief director of primary health-care services, thanked the doctors for volunteering to operate children who have this rare condition together with the organisers who took care of the logistics. Words of gesture were also expressed to Rob Ferreira Hospital for the use of its personnel, equipment and wards.
“Thank you again for helping the patients of our province and please be assured of Mpumalanga Department of Health’s commitment in supporting Operation Smile and its partners with the fantastic course.
I believe that in 2016 when Operation Smile South Africa celebrates its 10th anniversary, much more would have been achieved through this initiative.” Approximately one in every 1 000 babies are born with a cleft lip or cleft palate in Africa.
This condition does not discriminate between skin colour, race, geographical location or socio-economic status. One in 10 cleft-lip and cleft-palate babies will not live past their first birthday. The Mpumalanga Department of Health has an obligation to ensure patients born with this condition receive adequate treatment timeously.
