The Cleft and Facial Deformity Foundation has called for the establishment of a specialised craniofacial hospital to cater for patients living with clefts and other facial deformities in Nigeria.
Dr Bello Seidu, Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Thursday.
Seidu said the complexity of craniofacial deformities and the high cost of corrective surgeries made it necessary to establish a dedicated hospital for such cases in the country.
“Most of these patients are from poor backgrounds, and the nature of the surgery demands a specialised hospital.
“One thing has become abundantly clear: facial deformities are real, they are significant, and they demand special attention,” he said.
He disclosed that the foundation was currently conducting free surgeries in Calabar, where no fewer than 35 patients with clefts and other facial deformities had been booked for treatment.
According to him, the medical outreach, which commenced on Sunday, was expected to end on Saturday at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).
Seidu said no fewer than 2,750 patients had benefitted from the foundation’s free major craniofacial surgeries in the last 15 years.
He added that at least 15 states had benefitted from the outreach programme, noting that the ongoing UCTH exercise marked the 30th edition of the initiative.
The foundation’s CEO said the organisation had handled various forms of facial deformities over the years.
According to him, the cases ranged from congenital conditions such as facial clefts present at birth to acquired conditions, including facial tumours, whose causes remain largely unknown.
“We have also managed less common but serious conditions such as noma, and cases of lockjaw, medically referred to as TMJ ankylosis,” he said.
Seidu said that in spite of existing challenges, the foundation had recorded significant milestones since its establishment in 2011.
“This milestone is a testament not only to the tireless efforts of our medical and support teams but also to the courage of the children and adults whose lives we touch through these surgeries.
“For the past 15 years, Cleft and Facial Deformity Foundation has been committed to transforming lives, providing access to essential craniofacial care to those who might otherwise have gone without due to poor access and poverty.
“Our mission goes beyond surgery; it is about restoring dignity, hope, and confidence.
“Every procedure we perform is a step towards giving someone a chance to smile freely, eat comfortably, speak clearly, and live without stigma,” he said.
