MEC visits cleft patients at local hospital

MEC for the health department, Ms Candith Mashego-Dlamini together with Smile Operation organisation surgeons did rounds visiting patients at the Rob Ferreira Hospital recently.

The visit was aimed at marking the end of the successful completion of the operation mission in Mbombela which saw 35 children successfully operated by Operation Smile Southern Africa.

This organisation came to Mpumalanga to assist many cleft lip and cleft palate patients in Mpumalanga. The surgeons who participated in this mission are from Sweden, the US, the UK, Kenya, Italy and here in SA.

According to Operation Smile’s regional director, Dr Sarah Driver-Jowitt, one in a thousand babies are born with a cleft palate and of the thousand, 10 die early due to struggling to feed.

“Eighty per cent of these children suffer permanent loss of hearing and this can be prevented if they can be treated earlier,” elaborated Driver-Jowitt.

She said that parents with children who have the problems should not blame themselves but seek help from their local hospitals who will refer them to Rob Ferreira.

“If your child is born with such defects, you must know that it is not your fault, it’s just an unfortunate situation that can be easily fixed in a one hour surgery if detected early,” she added.

Thulisile Hlane, whose child underwent cleft lip operation, told Mpumalanga Mirror that she was happy about the surgery which she said was a success.

“My son is looking so handsome now and he will no longer be teased by his peers and starting school next year will no longer be a nightmare for him. Look at him, he is so normal and handsome,” said the happy mom.

MEC  Mashego-Dlamini encouraged parents who suspect that their children could be suffering from cleft or lip palate to go to their district hospital which will know how to refer them.

Dr Driver-Jowitt advised parents to take their children to the hospital if they are struggling to feed and not gaining weight.