Global Image Care to operate cleft lip children free of charge
Published on Thursday, 22 August 2013 00:00
Surgeons operating an cleft-lip child on August 16 (Photo - Htwel San Aung/EMG)
Korean-based Global Image Care (GIC) has offered to operate about 1000 cleft lip and palate children free of charge.
GIC will mainly focus on poor children who can't afford the basic operation. They hope to target 1000 Myanmar children within a five year period and are collaborating with the Karen Baptist Convention (KBC) Hospital in Insein Township, Yangon.
"GIC take care of the operation charges while we give accommodation for the patients. Some have to come here from very far places and so they have difficulty in staying as well as buying food. For that kind of people, we (the hospital) give as much assistance as we can," said Dr. Saw G. Aye Wai, the medical superintendent of KBC Hospital.
Cleft lip (cheiloschisis) and cleft palate (palatoschisis), which can also occur together, are variations of a type of birth deformity which results in a gap or "cleft" forming on the face - usually the upper lip. The deformity can be fixed early on with standard surgery to avoid complications in later life.
KBC Hospital has provided these kind of operations twice a year since October 2012. Between February and August this year a total of over 100 children underwent cleft lip operations free of charge.
More operations for cleft lip children will be carried out in October. The patients vary from five months old babies to adults over 20 years of age. Majority of the patients were 5 to 6 years old.
Many cleft lip children wish to avoid schools fearing that they might be teased. The deformity used to be called harelip because of how it resembled the animal. Such operations not only physically improve a patients facial features, they also help children and adults overcome the psychological trauma that comes with this common deformity.
"Previously, a hare lip child came here for operation. The child said he didn't want to go to school. When asked, he said his lips were not like others and his friends always teased him. After he completed his operation, he gained confidence and with much enthusiasm said he will now go to school," said an official of the hospital.
The GIC Group has estimated about US$ 500,000 will be used in operating 1000 hare lips patients in Myanmar in five years period. this September GIC will also provide free operations to remove gall stones in patients.
http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/global-image-care-to-operate-cleft-lip-children-free-of-charge/
No comments:
Post a Comment