Dr. Opoku Ware Ampomah, Consultant Plastic Surgeon and Country Medical Director of Operation Smile Ghana, has underscored the urgent need for increased awareness and timely intervention for children born with cleft lip and palate.
Speaking at the Ho Teaching Hospital during the launch of a free cleft surgery programme, Dr. Ampomah described cleft deformities as among the most common congenital conditions globally.
He explained that a cleft lip is a visible split in the lip, while a cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth, both of which can cause serious feeding, speech, and health complications.
“Every three minutes, somewhere in the world, a child is born with a cleft. In Ghana, it occurs in about one in every 1,000 to 1,200 births,” he said.
Dr. Ampomah outlined genetic and environmental factors, including vitamin deficiencies (especially folic acid), exposure to harmful chemicals, and advanced parental age, as major causes. He added that misconceptions about curses and misfortune often result in stigma, with affected children sometimes ostracized.
He emphasized that cleft conditions are treatable. Cleft lip repair is ideally done between three to six months of age, while cleft palate repair is best performed between nine to 18 months, and no later than age four, to support normal speech development.
“If surgery is delayed, speech patterns become hardwired, making correction difficult even after surgery,” he explained.
Operation Smile Ghana, he said, relies on a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, anesthetists, pediatricians, nurses, psychologists, nutritionists, speech therapists, and biomedical engineers. The team ensures children are assessed, attain the right weight, and are fully prepared for safe surgery and rehabilitation.
Since its establishment in Ghana in 2011, Operation Smile has also built local capacity, with 80–85 percent of volunteers now Ghanaian professionals, supported by colleagues from countries such as Sweden and Ethiopia. The Ministry of Health, Ho Teaching Hospital, and other partners also provide critical support.
Dr. Ampomah noted that all services—including transportation, feeding, accommodation, and surgery—are free of charge. This week, the team expects to perform between 75 and 80 surgeries in Ho, averaging 15–18 daily.
Mr. Peter Kwaku Titiati, Country Manager of Operation Smile Ghana, said the charity runs programmes at Korle Bu, Cape Coast, Koforidua, and Ho Teaching Hospital. Short-term surgical missions are held quarterly, each handling 60–70 cases, with Ho hosting up to 80 this quarter due to high demand.
He disclosed that Ho would remain a key focus, with at least two or three missions planned annually until 2026.
Parents expressed gratitude, with Madam Catherine Mensah from Sefwi and Madam Dora Sarpomah from Accra thanking Operation Smile for the life-changing surgeries and compassionate care.
Dr. Ampomah appealed to families not to stigmatize children with cleft conditions, stressing that they are intelligent and capable when given medical support.
“We have seen children with clefts grow to become doctors, journalists, and other professionals. They deserve our love, not rejection,” he said.
He further advised preventive measures, urging women of childbearing age to take folic acid, avoid unsafe medications, and attend early antenatal checks.
GNA
