The National reconstructive plastic surgery and burns center at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has offered a free surgery for children suffering cleft lip and palate and other communication disabilities.
An estimated number of 1,000 children are born in Ghana each year with cleft lip and palate, with one out of 10 dying in their formative years.
Research had shown that in Ghana, one in every 700 births were cleft patients and baby is born with cleft every three minutes worldwide, according to Operation Smile.
The surgery done in partnership with operation smile would improve speech and language outcomes among children with such communication and swallowing problems in the region and the country as a whole.
Chief Executive Officer of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and Surgeon, Dr Opoku Ware Adoma said parents should not hesitate to bring their children for treatment when a symptom of cleft lip and palate is identified early stage of childbirth to make the operation easy.
According to him, there was no definite cause for cleft, which might be attributed to risk factors such as mothers being exposed to concoctions and smoking during pregnancy.
He also said the hospital lack plastic surgeons therefore, they have to bring in two expect from abroad to assist in the operation which serves as an opportunity for the hospital to train a plastic surgeon during the process.
Operation coordinator for smile Ghana, Ofosu Clement revealed that his organisation was ready to work hand in hand with the government through the Ministry of Health to ensure that healthcare delivery for patients with such deformities was available across the country.
He emphasised that since the majority of Ghanaians did not know much about cleft and its associated problems, his outfit was creating public awareness of such abnormality.
