All female Operation Smile mission to treat 100 children's cleft conditions
First all-women’s medical mission team will treat over a hundred with cleft lip and cleft palate. To mark International Women’s Day on 8th March, Operation Smile will conduct its first international medical mission comprised entirely of female volunteers.
Every three minutes, a child is born with a cleft lip or cleft palate, and without surgery will struggle to eat, speak and socialise, many being shunned by their communities.
In the UK, cleft lip and cleft palates are operated on in the first three- to six-months of a child being born. However, in many countries medical resources are scarce, and when available the cost is prohibitive – in some countries the cost of an operation is a year’s salary.
Run by 54 female volunteers from 27 countries, the unique mission in Morocco will demonstrate the lasting impact women have had on their programmes; on average a mission team is comprised of 60 per cent female volunteers.
Operation Smile carries out hundreds of medical missions throughout the year all over the world, with the long-term vision of improving the local healthcare system in the area. In addition to mobilising highly accredited medical volunteers, the charity provides training to local medical personnel and partners with hospitals, governments and ministries of health in order to ensure that safe surgery is a right for those in need.
As a result of their sustainable local training, Operation Smile Morocco, host of the first-ever all women’s medical mission, has an impressive three Cleft Care Centres, which are run by local medical professionals. Indeed, over 85 per cent of all Operation Smile missions globally are now conducted by local teams, a testament to the power of education for local healthcare professionals.
For Nurhayati Lubis, a consultant anaesthetist working in the NHS, the first-ever all women’s medical mission will be her eighth trip with Operation Smile. She says: “It is hugely inspiring to see such a diverse team of women with such a range of skills, all working together.
“Working with colleagues from across the globe often results in stimulating discussions regarding different healthcare systems and how we can learn best practices from each other. That's something I can take back to the NHS with fresh eyes.”
Nurhayati hopes to inspire girls and young women to pursue careers in medicine and demonstrate the lasting impact female medical volunteers can have. She adds: “I have been most impressed in countries where Operation Smile has left behind a strong legacy by establishing a local medical team who can continue the good work once the mission is over.
“I've seen this first-hand in Nicaragua, Ghana and the Philippines. While the objective of the mission was to treat the children, the aim was also to empower the local teams of nurses and doctors to continue to provide cleft surgery locally once the mission is over.
“By establishing care centres, they can carry out regular treatments and continue to train local surgeons and anaesthetists. For example, the anaesthesia skills that are taught by Operation Smile can be used to benefit all surgical patients, aside from those with cleft palates and lips. This has the most local impact as far as I'm concerned.”
While two volunteers on the first-ever Operation Smile All Women’s Medical Mission team in Morocco are from the UK, nearly 25 per cent are Moroccan women, including six surgeons. Children with cleft lip or cleft palate can be considered untouchable and shunned by the community who might see them as cursed. Some untreated teenagers even report considering suicide.
This is why therapy, as well as raising awareness regarding cleft conditions, are of prime importance. Children with a cleft condition can be vulnerable to malnourishment as it can be difficult to feed properly, which is why nutritional support for both child and the wider family is key.
Nurhayati Lubis and the wider team of female volunteers will be working in Oujda, Morocco from the 5th to the 14th March as part of Operation Smile’s First Women’s Mission.
Saira Khan to be Operation Smile Ambassador
Saira Khan, TV presenter, columnist and businesswoman has announced she is to be an Ambassador for Operation Smile UK. She said: “It is an absolute honour to be involved with such a life changing charity. Every three minutes, a child is born with a cleft lip or cleft palate and without surgery, they struggle to eat, speak and socialise.
“In many of the countries where Operation Smile operates, these children and their families are often shunned and therefore the implications go way beyond the health of the child. That’s why the work of the charity is absolutely vital, helping to both treat patients in need, and train local medical teams to support their long-term comprehensive care.
“As a champion for women, I am excited and inspired ahead of Operation Smile’s First All Women’s Mission. Women are an integral part of the healthcare system, and this mission honours them. I am a proud Muslim woman, so the fact that it is taking place in Morocco, a predominately Muslim country, really connected with me.
“It’s very meaningful that these women are going to be making such a difference for some of the most vulnerable children in the country. It is shocking to hear about the stigma some children with cleft conditions face. As a parent of two children myself, it is heartbreaking, and highlights just how important Operation Smile’s community work is.
“They offer therapy for those affected and raise awareness about cleft conditions in remote areas where families have not heard about treatments for cleft lip or cleft palate.”
Saira will be participating in an Operation Smile medical mission in the coming months.
