Altogether 53 children with cleft lip/palate from villages across the Khasi and Jaintia Hills had undergone free corrective surgery under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) programme.
Cleft palate is a common birth condition. It can occur alone or as part of a genetic condition/syndrome. Symptoms arise from the opening in the mouth, causing difficulty in speaking and eating.
Surgical procedures were conducted by a team of highly skilled surgeons from Mission Smile, Guwahati and two international doctors from Russia and Japan who came to volunteer and were assisted by the medical staff at Ganesh Das M&CH Hospital.
The children were identified during a Child Health Screening and Surgery Camp organised by the District Early Intervention Centre (DEIC) Shillong between March 4 to 7, in which 83 children were screened.
The initiative was aimed at providing free, life-changing surgical interventions to children born with cleft lip and cleft palate and to improve their ability to eat, speak, and smile with confidence.
The camp not only offered surgical care but also included pre-operative counselling, post-operative follow-up and nutritional and speech therapy assessments to ensure comprehensive care for the beneficiaries.
