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Lovemore Meya Herald Correspondent
Twenty-seven people had undergone cleft lip and palate surgeries at Chitungwiza Central Hospital as of Thursday, while 105 others had been screened.

The surgeries started on Tuesday and will run up to July 28.

The initiative was made possible courtesy of the Rotary Club of Highlands in partnership with Alliance for Smiles, Rotary for Geene and Patnum counties (USA), the Ministry of Health and Child Care, University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences and Chitungwiza Rotary Club.

Alliance for Smiles team leader Mrs Barbara Fisher said they were glad to return to Zimbabwe.

“This is our second mission to conduct cleft lip and palate at Chitungwiza Central Hospital”, she said.

“It feels like home for us to come back here. We are hoping to probably repair 80 to 100 children and adults who are living with cleft lip and palate. We are looking forward to do eight to 10 people per day.

“We will be having operations for nine days. We registered more than 80 people on Monday and our set target was 100, but we are still looking forward to register more because some of the patients will not qualify for surgery.”

Ms Fisher said some patients did not qualify because of malignancy (cancer).

“We just do lips and palates,” she said.

“Some of the reasons we might turn away patients is when the child is too young or does not have enough haemoglobin. If it is too low, it is dangerous to get them anaesthesia.”

Rotary Club of Highlands president Nesta Hatendi said the operations were going on well.

“We are happy with the progress made so far. Ninety five people were screened on Monday and today (Thursday) the number has increased to 105, while some are still trickling in”, she said.

Chitungwiza Central Hospital public relations officer, Mrs Nyadzisai Tasanarwo, said they felt honoured to assist in the surgeries.