The national forum for cleft care has vows to address the challenges faced by children born with cleft aimed at ensuring that they live a normal and healthy life.
A medical expert working with Aminu Kano Teaching hospital ,Professor Adetokunbo Adebola stated this during a stakeholders workshop organized by the National forum in Kano, for north west zone to fine tune modalities of addressing the challenges children born with cleft experience in different parts of the nation.
Professor Adetokumbo Adebola who is the convener of the workshop in collaboration with other international donor agencies said the meeting was geared towards providing comprehensive clear services for all the children born with cleft problem in the country.
He explained that a baby born with cleft problem faces alot of challenges ,such as esteatic problem,fuctional defeiencies like speech,eating as well as psychological issues,hence there was the urgent need for all stakeholders to onboard in addressing the challenges.
The medical expert said the rate at which babies born with cleft problem are stigmatize in the society is unacceptable,saying centers are available in the north west states of the zone ,and the federation who offers free services to children born with cleft problem geared towards ensuring that the children live normal and healthy live.
In a remark the smile Train program manager,west Africa ,Victoria Awazie Aknowledged the need for local partnership in sustaining cleft care in the country.
She appealed to the Community to shun myths and misconceptions surrounding cleft ,and work together with the health care partners in ensuring that children receive the life- changing treatment.
The two day workshop themed planning for sustainable comprehensive cleft care attracted participants from all the states in the Northwestern zone of the federation.
Abdullahi jalaluddeen/Kano
