The Hindu : Front Page : Giving them a reason to smile

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 02, 2005

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Front Page

Giving them a reason to smile

Ramya Kannan

BEARING GIFTS: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa presents a doll to Sathya after inaugurating the Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate Camp at Stanley Hospital in Chennai on Wednesday. — Photo: R. Ragu

CHENNAI: When Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa met 12 children at Stanley Hospital here on Wednesday, it was to make their smiles extra special — literally. The faces of more than 5,000 children will light up with smiles thanks to the State-wide campaign for ensuring a cleft lip and cleft palate-free Tamil Nadu that she kicked off on Wednesday.

Ms. Jayalalithaa was following up on an announcement made during the inauguration of the 38th Annual Conference of Plastic Surgeons of India in September 2003, when she said the Government would address the issues of those belonging to the poor, who needed reconstructive surgery. This included cleft lip — a birth condition that creates an opening in the upper lip between the nose and mouth — and cleft palate, in which the roof of the baby's mouth is not joined completely.

Both conditions not only disfigure the face but also result in medical impairments that affect speech, hearing and teeth formation. Surgical intervention in the early stageswill prevent complications and the children can lead a normal life, according to doctors. The procedure takes only about 45 minutes.

Essential components of the campaign are identification of children born with such deformities and sending them to treatment centres. A survey has established that 5,534 children have cleft lip/palate problems and that 70 per cent of these children will be fit for corrective surgery. The Health department has outlined an action plan to operate on all children above three months of age within six months.

About 3,000 children will be treated in Government hospitals and a further 1,000 will be operated on in private health institutions within the stipulated time frame. Private institutions will be paid Rs. 25,000 for surgeries conducted on children belonging to families below the poverty line.

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