Cleft and Facial Deformity Foundation, an NGO in Abuja, has operated on 502 patients across Niger, Kogi and Nasarawa states as well as the FCT.
The Director of the NGO, Dr Seidu Bello, disclosed this in an interview on Sunday in Abuja.
He said the beneficiaries were out of over 800 patients that attended free cleft surgical outreaches from 2012 to date. According to him, patients with facial deformities, such as facial clefts (Cleft lip and Palate), facial tumour and swellings and locked Jaw (TMJ Ankylosis) received free surgery from the foundation. He explained that Cleft Palate refers to the opening at the roof of the mouth; it remains a challenge because even though not obvious, the patients can never speak well. “It is advisable to repair before two years to allow for development of normal speech in children,’’ he said. He said the outreach had experienced the drastic reduction of adult cleft in and around the FCT. “In the early stages of the outreach, adult cleft was predominant with an average of 14.2 years. “At the last edition outreach in the FCT, apart from one isolated 30-year-old, the oldest cleft lip patient was three years. “This brings Nigeria at par with the rest of the world where cleft surgery is essentially for the children,’’ he said. Bello said the foundation is working towards the establishment of a Facial Deformity Care Hospital in the FCT for the surrounding states. “The hospital aimed at providing free surgical care for the less privileged in the society and the well to do could also have access to quality modern care,’’ he said. He said government alone could not solve all the problems of every Nigerian citizen, it is imperative therefore; those genuine private initiatives are encouraged and supported. Bello lamented that the only hospital with facility that address cleft and facial deformity is NOMA hospital established in Sokoto by NOMA Foundation, which is a foreign based NGO. “Recent security situation in the country has crippled the activities in the hospital which is another wake up call that we can’t rely on foreigners forever. “I have visited the hospital and it is a sorry state for poor Nigerians that had to travel a long distance with uncertain appointment dates for the operation,’’ Bello said.
He said the beneficiaries were out of over 800 patients that attended free cleft surgical outreaches from 2012 to date. According to him, patients with facial deformities, such as facial clefts (Cleft lip and Palate), facial tumour and swellings and locked Jaw (TMJ Ankylosis) received free surgery from the foundation. He explained that Cleft Palate refers to the opening at the roof of the mouth; it remains a challenge because even though not obvious, the patients can never speak well. “It is advisable to repair before two years to allow for development of normal speech in children,’’ he said. He said the outreach had experienced the drastic reduction of adult cleft in and around the FCT. “In the early stages of the outreach, adult cleft was predominant with an average of 14.2 years. “At the last edition outreach in the FCT, apart from one isolated 30-year-old, the oldest cleft lip patient was three years. “This brings Nigeria at par with the rest of the world where cleft surgery is essentially for the children,’’ he said. Bello said the foundation is working towards the establishment of a Facial Deformity Care Hospital in the FCT for the surrounding states. “The hospital aimed at providing free surgical care for the less privileged in the society and the well to do could also have access to quality modern care,’’ he said. He said government alone could not solve all the problems of every Nigerian citizen, it is imperative therefore; those genuine private initiatives are encouraged and supported. Bello lamented that the only hospital with facility that address cleft and facial deformity is NOMA hospital established in Sokoto by NOMA Foundation, which is a foreign based NGO. “Recent security situation in the country has crippled the activities in the hospital which is another wake up call that we can’t rely on foreigners forever. “I have visited the hospital and it is a sorry state for poor Nigerians that had to travel a long distance with uncertain appointment dates for the operation,’’ Bello said.
More grease to ya elbow
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