Five children with cleft lips and palates will undergo free surgeries for a start in Anambra while more children would benefit from the free surgical outreach.
Dr Chukwuanukwu, the Director, Smile Train organization in Anambra, in collaboration with the wife of the Anambra State Governor, Dr Nonye Soludo, has assured that more children with the deformity will benefit from this across the state.
Mrs Soludo told newsmen on Saturday at the General Hospital, Umueri, in Anambra East Local Government Area (LGA), that the free surgeries were to give every child with a cleft lip and palate the opportunity to reclaim their dignity.
She said: “When it comes to mothers and children in the state, I do not joke with them. Most of these mothers are confused after giving birth to children with this kind of deformity. “And since it is something we can solve, we decided to partner Smile Train International, an NGO that funds cleft reconstruction surgeries, to help these families.
“I urge pregnant women to eat healthy food and attend antenatal to prevent giving birth to babies with deformities,” she said. Also speaking, Prof. Titus Chukwuanukwu, a Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, described cleft as a congenital anomaly that a baby is born with.
Dr Chukwuanukwu, also the Director, Smile Train in Anambra, said children with cleft lips become malnourished and suffered a lot of ailments because they often have difficulty in sucking breast, feeding and speaking. He identified lack of awareness, stigmatisation, financial constraints and unfounded myths and misinformation as barriers to cleft treatment and care in the country.
“Cleft lip or palate is not a life-threatening defect. It is not a curse, it is not caused by evil spirit and it is not the fault of the parents of such children. “We are having this free surgery outreach to create awareness and for people to see the marvelous transformation after the surgery.
This will motivate those hiding their children at home to come out and seek medical help. “If those children grow without reconstructive surgeries, they become withdrawn, their education and social life will be hampered. Some of them even become depressed, aggressive and feel hopeless,” he said. He however noted that the average cost for a cleft lip reconstructive surgery is between N500,000 and N600,000. However, they will be performing the surgery and after care treatment for the patients free.
