The ongoing free cleft lip and palate treatments, a new initiative between Smile Train, a non-governmental charity body, and wife of the Governor of Anambra State, Mrs Nonye Soludo has successfully underwent a surgery on a two year old child, Peter Anthony.
ANN reports that Peter Anthony who had right cleft lip and bilateral cleft palate, was operated on last weekend at Dinma Hospital, Nnewi, one of the affiliated medical facilities that offer treatments to cleft patients.
Master Anthony who is the first beneficiary of the free ongoing cleft lip and palate treatments hails from Otukpa in Benue State, but reside in Anambra State.
Speaking on the development, the Anambra governor’s wife, Mrs Soludo said she felt gratified that the partnership with Smile Train was beginning to bear fruits, reassuring that no child in the state living with cleft deformity will be left behind the programme.
Mrs Soludo who noted that she was looking forward to seeing other kids who have similar issues treated, called for more awareness about the programme especially in the rural areas.
On his part, the Anambra State Director of Smile Train, Professor Titus Chukwuanukwu, who performed the surgery, said that the kid’s family came after hearing about the exercise from the governor’s wife, noting with the lip successfully fixed surgery on the palate will be done on a later date.
Parents of the child, Mr Isaiah Anthony and Mrs Queen Anthony, spoke about how the family had suffered searching for solution to the problem which came during birth, and described the opportunity to see their child treated as one that would never be forgotten.
They thanked Mrs Soludo and Smile Train, for the initiative and pledged to join in the advocacy.
