GUWAHATI, Feb 20 � The �Operation Smile�s 4th International Cleft Lip and Palate Mission, which concluded on February 18, successfully performed 978 surgeries of cleft children of Assam at the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital, Guwahati. With this, the Operation Smile in partnership with State Government has performed altogether 1,860 surgeries of cleft patients in the State.
State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while interacting with mediapersons, said that the surgeries performed during the mission were safe and this should encourage more patients to opt for such surgeries under the mission. He also stated that the public-private partnership has played a pivotal role in making the mission successful.
In needs mention here that Jamsetji Tata Trust has extended support to the cause of the mission in India.
�As per our estimate, there are about 15,000 cleft patients including children and adults, who would be reached out in the next phases. Cleft patients identified districts like Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Nagaon and Morigaon, which had bigger concentration of cleft patients, have mostly been corrected,� the Health Minister said, adding, �If things go in similar way, we should be able to make Assam a cleft-free State very soon.�
Dr Richards, one of the members of Operation Smile International, informed that the prevalence of cleft patients are more or less found in the poverty-stricken areas, malnutrition and poor access to medical patients being the common causes.
He also vouched for better access to health care facilities for a woman during pre-pregnancy period.
The free-of-cost facial reconstructive surgeries have been performed by 250 medial and non-medical volunteers from a many as 20 countries.
Ranjit Barthakur, chairman, Operation Smile India, Additional Chief Secretary PP Verma were also present on the occasion, besides others.
Later, Assam Governor JB Patnaik formally inaugurated the �Centrally Cooked Mid-day Meal Programme� on Akshaya Patra Foundation premises at Amingaon.
