Cost of Cleft Lip and Palate Repair Surgery in Nigeria (including free treatment), Cleft Foundations in Nigeria.
What are cleft lips and/or palate?
Clefts are gaps that resemble splits in the lip or openings in the palate(roof of the mouth). In some cases both presentations are combined.
It presents at birth due as a congenital abnormality that occurs due to failed apposition (joining) of the two sides of the lip or palate(roof of the mouth) during development in the womb.
This in effect makes the lip appear to be separated into 2 or 3 parts and/or the roof of the mouth having an opening that connects the mouth to the nose.
Complications of cleft lip and palate especially in Children
It affects the child’s feeding habits, proper pronunciation of certain words, the facial appearance hence self-esteem, it gives room for food and drinks to leak through the nose and can also start an ear and lung infection if left untreated. Children with cleft lip and palate usually suffer poor weight gain and malnutrition because of their feeding difficulties.
Causes of clefts
It’s not a spiritual attack neither is it a sign of witchcraft as believed by some people. Taking alcohol and certain medications during pregnancy increases the risk of its development, it could also be seen as a feature in certain syndromes amongst other causes.
Treatment
But not to worry these defects (Clefts of the lip and palate) can be corrected surgically by a team of surgeons involving pediatric surgeons , dental surgeons, plastic surgeons and OK orthopedic surgeons… Pediatricians also play a key role in the management of cleft lip and palate.
Cost of Cleft lip and palate repair surgery in Nigeria.
Parents paying out of pocket pay as high as NGN300, 000 naira for cleft lip repair surgery but don’t worry if you don’t have the finances. There are many non-governmental organizations and medical organisations in Nigeria that offers free treatment for cleft lip and palate across most teaching hospitals and Federal Medical Centres across Nigeria.
All you need is just to these organizations and your problem as a parent is solved ..
One of the these organizations that pay for cleft lip and palate repair surgery for parents free of charge is Smile Train@Smiletrain an international body with affiliation with several hospitals worldwide hence your location shouldn’t be a discouragement. Just visit a Tertiary health institution, e.g. are some Federal health institutions for proper assessment by oral and maxilofacial surgeons.
Here is their web address smiletrain.org. Please visit it and send them a mail. You can also reach them via their twitter handle @Smiletrain.
Smile train did a paid for cleft lip repair for children last year in Lagos University Teaching Hospital and the program is still on.
There are other organizations but theirs is seasonal, Smile Train offers this humanitarian services all year round.
PS: The National Hospital Abuja, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and many more teaching hospitals also have programs for free or highly subsidized cleft lip and palate treatment… Lagos State government also pays for cleft surgeries seasonally.
