Around 300 children with cleft lips and palates will receive free surgery under the Operation Smile’s programme next month.

A cleft lip and palate is one of the most common malformations for infants in Vietnam, not only negatively affecting their appearance, but also their development and psychology. Next month, 300 children are expected to be operated on by OS Vietnam and its partners in Hanoi, Nghe An province and Ho Chi Minh City for free.

Following the cooperation between Dr Fu-chan Wei and Dr Jeng-Feng Seng - the world's leading experts in surgical microsurgery – and the OS in 2002, Chinese Taipei’s E-Da Hospital has helped the organisation to provide training and to transfer medical technologies on microsurgery to Vietnam. Many doctors and practitioners have advanced their expertise in the area and are currently holding important positions at leading hospitals in the country.

To mark a new turning point in the cooperation, next month OS Vietnam, in collaboration with E-Da Hospital and Hanoi-based National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology, will organise the surgical programme for children with cleft lips and palates. This is the first E-Da supported programme in Vietnam as a sponsor and the hospital will send medical experts to the host country in order to directly perform humanitarian surgery on child patients.

Children with cleft lips must be at least six months old and weigh at least 8kg to be eligible for an operation. For children with cleft palates, they must be at least 18 months old and weigh 10-12kg or more to join the programme. All of the patients must not have any congenital diseases such as heart disease, epilepsy or neurological disease.

All surgeries will be performed free of charge and the patients will also be supported for part of the travel and accommodation costs during their stay.

From October 13-20, around 80-100 children will be examined and operated on at the National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology, No. 40A Trang Thi street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi.

Another 80-100 child patients are expected to be offered free surgery at Vinh International Hospital, No. 99 Pham Dinh Toai street, Nghi Phu commune, Vinh city (Nghe An province) from October 16 to 20.

In Ho Chi Minh City, as many as 60-80 children will receive treatment at the University Medical Centre HCMC, No. 215 Hong Bang street, Ward 11, District 5, from October 9-12.

Surgical registrations can be made through OS Vietnam’s hotline in Hanoi at 024.3936 5426 and HCMC at 028.2222 1008 during office hours or the hotline at 090 488 5555.

Operating in Vietnam since 1989, OS has offered examinations and operations for more than 40,000 children with congenital facial malformations.

Source: NDO