The Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital is calling for greater collaborations to increase cleft palate surgeries, following a series of successful procedures performed by the National Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit in partnership with Operation Smile.
Cleft palate, a congenital condition affecting thousands of children worldwide, can significantly impact quality of life.
However, in Ghana, efforts are being made to provide life-changing surgical interventions for those affected.
The National Plastic Reconstructive Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, in partnership with Operation Smile, is leading this initiative, offering free surgical treatments to children with the condition.
However, Dr Opoku Ware Ampomah, Director of the National Plastic Reconstructive Unit, in an interview with ChannelOne TV, has urged Ghanaian parents to take advantage of this opportunity to get help for their children.
“Help is available in Ghana, and it’s just a few calls away. We also have transport for the child and guardians to transport them for free,” Dr Ampomah indicated.
Stigmatisation and lack of access to medical care are significant challenges, according to Emily, an anesthesiologist and volunteer from Operation Smile.
To further expand access to these life-changing surgeries, Dr Ampomah is calling for increased investment in healthcare facilities nationwide, enabling the decentralisation of surgical procedures.
“Continued collaboration and investment are crucial to expanding access to these life-changing surgical interventions,” Dr Ampomah added.
Nicholas Hierra, Surgeon and Team Lead for Operation Smile, underscored Ghana’s leadership in Africa for providing free cleft palate surgeries, the report added.
MRA/AE
Meanwhile, watch this captivating story of the Ghana’s 100-year-old World War II veteran whose name is widely known in the Buckingham Palace, below:
