SHILLONG, JAN 18: Two years on 520 patients in Meghalaya and around 13, 000 from across other north eastern states got back their smiles after enduring for years with “untreated facial deformities” medically known as “cleft.”
The years gone-by must have been a life of social stigma for these people, but thanks to mission “Operation Smile”, these people now can not only give their widest grin but also lead a confident life without the fear of being taunted for their cleft lips.
Operation Smile India now gives hope to thousands of such patients that are spread not only in the north east India but also other parts of the country as the surgeries correcting their facial deformities is “free of cost.”
Operation Smile India manager Dipul Malakar revealed during a pre-screening camp conducted in a city hospital, “In Assam alone, we have conducted over 12, 000 surgeries. These includes the patients from different parts of NE besides 520 patients in Meghalaya.”
According to Malakar many people living in north east are living with ‘untreated facial deformities.’ However he said proper statistics of such people is unavailable which is a big challenge for those trying to reach-out to them and give the smile back.
Malakar said, “It is a very challenging task to reach out to patients born with cleft deformity as there is no proper statistic conducted so far on their population.”
Operation Smile India established its centre in Guwahati in 2002 and ever since has been reaching out to children with facial deformities to give them back their smiles by conducting and surgery and giving medication.
Malakar informed that as per the statistic provided by World Health Organization (WHO)-approximately 1 in every 700 Indian children is born with either cleft lip /or cleft palate and there is an estimate backlog of more than 1 million people living untreated .
Malakar said, “As per our analysis, out of the approximately 3000 back log, over 1500 patients in Meghalaya are yet to be corrected,” adding “We have proposed to the state government on the need to develop cleft deformity data, which will help in covering all patients.”
Malakar also said most of patients with facial deformities coming from rural areas of the state.
Malakar also feels another challenge to his organization is that the level of awareness among people suffering from such facial maladies is very low. He said, “We need the cooperation and support from all quarters as it is difficult for the mission alone to reach-out to all people with such deformity.”
Malakar informed that children with facial deformities often have difficulty breathing, drinking, eating and speaking and all these together put with their appearance lead to social isolation and ridicule. He said, “The stigma attached to their deformity render them unable to live fulfilling lives as they are often not admitted to school, not allowed to play with other children and sometimes even forbidden from going outside.”
Informing about the free treatment for patient with such deformities, Malakar revealed that an MoU was also signed with the Government of Meghalaya where it agreed to sponsored 50 per cent of the operation cost that come Rs 20,000 per patient. He said the total cost of operation is Rs 40, 000.
Interestingly, travelling, food, accommodation, and medicines expenses are also being given free to the patients; Malakar said adding “We also give comprehensive care to the patients by providing speech therapy for them, dental care, ENT and others.”
Meanwhile, Operation Smile is conducting a special surgical week for Meghalaya from January 19. NEEPCO has agreed to come forward to support cleft patients, Malakar said while informing that during the week over 60 surgeries will be conducted for Meghalaya.- By Our Reporter
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