Six-day free medical mission begins for cleft lip and palate surgery

A six-day medical mission has begun in Dhaka to provide free treatment and surgical intervention for children affected by cleft lip and palate (CLP), the most common congenital facial deformities globally, with the aim of enabling them to lead healthy, confident lives.

The International Friendship Medical Mission was inaugurated on Tuesday at Sarkari Karmachari Hospital at Fulbari in the capital by Dr Md Mokhlesur Rahman, Senior Secretary at the Ministry of Public Administration, who attended the programme as the chief guest.

The mission is being implemented by Smile Asia, a global alliance dedicated to treating facial deformities, in collaboration with SAJIDA Foundation, a leading Bangladeshi development organisation.

A 39-member delegation from Smile Asia -- comprising doctors, nurses, therapists, and allied professionals, including 32 international participants from 12 countries -- is delivering the treatment. They will provide surgical and post-operative care to selected patients over the course of the mission.

On the first day, physical and pathological screenings will be conducted to select approximately 100 children for surgery from a pre-identified list of 115 children referred from grassroots communities. The surgeries will be performed over the next five days. 

Children aged between three months and 10 years will be eligible for cleft lip surgery, while those aged between nine months and 10 years will be treated for cleft palate.

The mission aims to restore vital functions such as speech, breathing, and feeding; boost the confidence and social inclusion of affected children; and enhance the skills of local surgeons through hands-on training and international collaboration.

According to the World Health Organization, one in every 700 children globally is born with a cleft lip or palate. In Bangladesh, more than 5,000 children are born with the condition each year.

While inaugurating the mission, chief guest Dr Md Mokhlesur Rahman said the collaboration between the government health sector and non-government sector would facilitate far better service to patients.

Terming the present one a welfare government, he expressed the hope that more collaboration with non-government sector would be forged in the coming days.

The senior secretary urged medical professionals to serve patients with highest dedication sincerity following the path of those who have created examples in this field. He also urged all in the service sector to start work from day one of any project to avoid wastage of time and accomplish the tasks timely. 

Mokhlesur Rahman thanked Smile Asia, SAJIDA Foundation, Sarkari Karmachari Hospital and others contributing to the medical mission for organising the programme to treat children having orofacial clefts.

Special guest Md Saidur Rahman, Secretary at the Health Services Division, shared his remarks about how this government-NGO collaboration would continue to better serve the people. He expressed the hope that Sarkari Karmachari Hospital would be one of the best hospitals in the country.

Smile Asia Secretary General Abhimanyu Talukdar in his speech, focused on the services his organization is offering across Asia. He said it is Smile Asia's seventh mission in Bangladesh and the first with SAJIDA Foundation.

SAJIDA Foundation CEO Zahida Fizza Kabirsaid her organization tries to forge international collaboration in several areas, particularly in healthcare, to serve less advantaged people of Bangladesh. She expressed the hope that the cooperation with Smile Asia would be further strengthened in the future.

Sarkari Karmachari Hospital Director General Md A Razzaque Sarker said the programme would offer the medical professionals at the health facility a great chance to enhance their skill.

After the inauguration, the guests visited patients receiving cleft lip and palate care, toured service booths, and interacted with the medical team.