Cleft Surgery

The Smile Train Is a Children’s charity dedicated to cleft Embraces a comprehensive approach Focuses on developing self-sufficiency through empowerment of local doctors The Smile train is our main sponsor for the free cleft surgeries. 271 free cleft surgeries have been done for the poor nigerian children and adults. Facility - Armed Forces Specialist Hospital Armed Forces Specilist hospital Commandant and RSM Surgical team Cleft Surgeons Cleft team consists of: - Maxillofacial surgeons Dr.Adebola, Dr.Efunkoya, and Dr.Ver-or Anaesthetist Dr.Akitoye and Mr.Dauda Paediatrician Dr.Adeleke and Dr.Belowan Social worker, Project Coordinator Mrs.Feyisara Adebola Pediatric nurse Pt.Mohammed ENT Surgeon Dr.Dahilo Nurses Project Coordinator with nurses

Challenges: -

Malnourished children that cannot be operated

Most children with cleft lip and palate have difficulty in feeding and therefore are malnourished and have problems with weight gain. About 90% of our patients are from the rural areas and very poor, hence cannot afford to feed their children a balanced diet.
GSI gives talks on how to formulate balanced and affordable feed for the children using locally available ingredients, and also teach the mothers how to feed children with cleft and lip palate.

Family Planning Counseling

A large percentage of mothers that come to our facility are between the ages of 25 to 40 years, with about 7 to 13 children.
We give talks on family planning, and the use of birth control and other techniques to implement such plans. Our patients are referred to a facility with family planning centre.

HIV/AIDS Counseling

We have group counseling on HIV/AIDS. We also encourage couples to get tested by referring them to other facilities

Non- immunization of Children

Most of the children brought to our facility are delivered at home and have no access to antenatal care and routine immunization. GSI refers children for immunization.

Areas of Support: -

GSI will like to have a hospital of its own fully equipped for all surgical procedures, dental and oral health services with adequate manpower to meet these challenges.
We also need a well established counseling centre that has the capacity to address all the identified challenges (family planning, malnourished children HIV/AIDS counseling and testing). This is because patients referred to other facilities for this services default due to poverty because they cannot afford the cost. Most of these patients also come to our facilities with their parents which gives us the unique opportunity to address these challenges while they are with us for the free surgery.