The Deutsche Cleft Kinderhilfe, a Germany-based child aid agency, and its Indian affiliate ABMSS have together completed over 3,500 free cleft lip surgeries in its ten years’ tenure in Odisha through its hospital partner Sri Sri Baroda Hospital here.
Congratulating on this success, ABMSS general secretary Dr Dushyant Prasad said, “We are extremely happy to be a part of this journey in Bhubaneswar in order to bring a positive change to the lives of so many children affected with cleft in Odisha. However, the work doesn’t end here; it’s just the beginning.”As per various research studies and data, about 35,000 children in India are born with a cleft lips and palate every year and sadly one out of ten of these children hardly get to see their first birthday. A majority of these children and adults hail from poor families and they can hardly afford to a cleft surgery.
SSB Hospital cleft project head Dillip Patnaik said, “It was a nice idea to establish a cleft centre in our hospital where we could bring smile among those who are with cleft and need support to get them treated”.
“We are really thankful to Deutsche Cleft Kinderhilfe and ABMSS who came forward to support us financially and technically to make this possible for us,” he added.
We run our hospital for a cause and there is no better way to serve people than bring smile among them and mainstreaming them in the society with just a simple surgery,” he added.