Cleft Surgery

Cleft Surgery

Intake of alcohol and wrong medications by pregnant women as well as
environmental factors have been identified as causes of cleft a disease
that affects the mouth.

This revelation was made by a team of medical practitioners under the
aegis of smile train cleft team who are on a rescue mission for patients
of the disease in Port Harcourt.

The oxford advanced learner’s dictionary defines cleft as a natural
opening or crack in a person’s chin.

It is an abnormal cut or opening in the upper lip at birth making it
difficult for such patients to speak clearly.

Experts however say the condition can be corrected.

This is why an American non governmental organisation smile train cleft
team in collaboration with the university of Port Harcourt teaching
hospital UPTH are in Port Harcourt to offer free medical services to those
who may wish to correct their defect.

Explaining further, the leader of the team Dr. Benjamin Keje said the
resultant effect of the abnormally is facial disfigurement and the patient
when grown up cannot make certain sounds such as S. G. And T.

According to Dr. Keje some abandon such children for fear of being
rejected in the society.

He advised people with such defects to take advantage of the ongoing
cleft-surgery at the UPTH being carried out by plastic, maxillofacial and
an aesthetic surgeons to correct the anomaly.

The representative of the chief medical director of UPTH and chairman,
medical advisory committee Dr. Christie Mato explained further the modus
oparandi of the free medical service.

It will be recalled that over thirty patients benefited from the free
medical service last year and so far eight patients have successfully been
operated on this year.

Some of the guardians of the patients have this to say.

Experts say if pregnant mothers are mindful of what they take in, attend
antenatal care regularly cases of cleft lip and palate could reduce
drastically while efforts should be made by government to stop gas flaring
and environmental degradation to make the society a better place to live
in.