Beit CURE Children’s Hospital of Malawi recently launched its cleft lip and palate service line in partnership with Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft charity. This service line will equip the hospital to extend its reach to more underserved children with disabilities in Malawi.
Cleft lip and palate is a condition in which a child is born with an opening in the lip or roof of the mouth. These can occur separately or together, significantly impacting a child’s feeding, speech, and even hearing.
According to Smile Train, over 560 children in Malawi are born with cleft lip and palate every year. Reconstructive surgery is the primary treatment, offering safe and immediately visible results. The surgical team led by Dr. Dorothy Bbaale, Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon at Beit CURE Malawi, and Dr. Hodges, Head of Plastics for CURE International, performed the first cleft lip and palate surgery on six-month-old Wisick.
Transforming Lives and Creating Lasting Impact.
“The essence of reconstructive surgery is to restore form and function, which is deeply rewarding to be part of,” says Dr. Dorothy. “We’re finding that many children also need secondary surgeries to improve their speech. Improving speech is a game changer for them and is the primary reason for performing a cleft repair. It goes beyond nutritional care. These children need to grow up being comprehensible and being able to engage with society, knowing that people can understand what they say.”
Such is the case for Ashraf, a young boy whose father expressed that he couldn’t understand him. After surgery, Ashraf’s speech is expected to improve significantly. This improvement means a better quality of life. Ashraf will be able to attend school and, most importantly, be understood by his parents. “We’re giving them new smiles, but it’s exciting that we also get to restore such a vital function in their lives,” Dr. Dorothy explains.
The cleft team includes pediatric anesthesiologist Dr. Diane and the Beit CURE nursing team. Recognizing that adequate nutrition is essential for successful surgery, two nutritional nurses have been added to provide specialized support. The hospital hopes to soon add a speech and language therapist to provide even more comprehensive care.
This service line is another way for the team to diligently serve the children of Malawi. “Cleft surgeries differ from the orthopedic surgeries we typically perform at Beit CURE because we can see the children before surgery, during surgery, and their transformation is visible immediately after the procedure is complete. Witnessing the joy on the guardians’ faces is incredibly rewarding,” says Mwawi Songa, Operating Room Nurse in Charge at Beit CURE Malawi.
This new dedicated service line at Beit CURE represents hope and healing for families throughout Malawi with children affected by this condition. With specialized surgical teams, nutritional support, and plans for comprehensive speech therapy, the hospital stands ready to transform lives through these vital reconstructive procedures, giving children new smiles as well as better communication, education, and social integration abilities.
Families are encouraged to contact Beit CURE Children’s Hospital today and take the first step toward their child’s transformation. Free treatment is available for qualifying children, and the hospital’s compassionate staff are ready to guide families through every step of the journey.
For more information about cleft and lip palate service line please contact:
Sunganani Mughogho, Community Mobilization Coordinator, CURE Malawi
Phone: +265 883186156
