Cleft surgery outreach at Mthatha hospital will give patients reason to smile

More than 40 patients in the Eastern Cape with unrepaired cleft lip and cleft palates will travel to Mthatha for Operation Smile’s annual cleft surgical programme at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital (NMAH) from Friday until Sunday. 

Without surgery, children with clefts face serious health and development challenges, and will likely suffer emotional abuse and social isolation because they look and sound different to others.

While research into the causes of cleft lip and palate is not conclusive, genetics and family history, pre-existing medical conditions, poor nutrition and exposure to harmful substances may affect the healthy development of an unborn baby.

Depending on the cleft condition, children with a cleft will need multiple surgeries throughout their childhood, as well as speech therapy and dental treatment.

“Our priority is to ensure that all individuals with unrepaired clefts have access to timely surgery and comprehensive care, giving every child the opportunity to grow, develop and communicate effectively,” Operation Smile SA programme manager Phelisa Manyisane-Somciza said.

When performed by a skilled and competent medical team, surgery to repair a cleft can take as little as 45 minutes.

“At Operation Smile, we work to the very highest standards of medical care and our South African volunteer medical team includes some of the country’s most skilled and competent medical professionals, who will travel to the Eastern Cape from across SA to work alongside the [hospital] team to transform lives,” she said.

Operation Smile’s comprehensive cleft care package for patients and their caregivers includes transportation, accommodation, nourishment, medical assessments, surgeries and post-surgical evaluations, including speech and dental assessments, all provided at no cost.

The annual programme is endorsed and supported by the Eastern Cape department of health, which through its partnership with Operation Smile is committed to strengthening the delivery of comprehensive cleft care services in the province.

Health MEC Ntandokazi Capa said she was delighted that Operation Smile was returning to help patients with clefts in the province receive surgery, support the transfer of skills and provide primary oral health care for local children.

“We are grateful to have such a partner. Through this partnership, we are able to improve the quality of life of our people.

“Working with our team at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, the team of volunteers from Operation Smile SA helps us to deliver quality services.

“This year again more people in need of this corrective surgery will benefit and have their lives transformed.

“We will continue to work with Operation Smile SA to ensure that we deliver such a service,” she said.

Since 2022, Operation Smile has delivered two surgical programmes at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital  resulting in 45 successful surgeries, including cleft lip surgery for two-year-old Nzulu Mtolo from Bizana.

He is among the 40 patients who will return to Mthatha to be assessed for cleft palate surgery during the Operation Smile programme.

“Nzulu is our pure joy. Though it took us a while to get used to his new smile after his cleft lip surgery last year, he has healed well and we are so happy with the outcome,” Sinazo Mtolo, Nzulu’s mother, said.

“He is starting to speak and so the impact of his cleft palate is very real.

“As his mother, I’m anxious about the upcoming surgery but I know it is for the best. We will forever be grateful to Operation Smile.”

At the same time, Operation Smile will also partner with the dental team at Mthatha General Hospital to provide free oral health services for about  120 children over the weekend.

Operation Smile will also prioritise the transfer of knowledge and skills by hosting two education workshops to upskill local dentists and speech therapists and provide opportunities for surgical and anaesthesia training during the weekend programme.

One of the doctors who will be joining the Operation Smile team is NMAH anaesthetist Dr Ncumisa Sabona, who received sponsorship from Operation Smile to complete her fellowship in paediatric anaesthesia at Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town.

Once completed, Sabona will be the first paediatric anaesthetist at the hospital.

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