Free surgeries to bring smiles for children with cleft lips, palates
A cleft lip and palate surgery programme kicked off in Dak Lak province on December 18, expected to benefit children with the deformities in seven provinces in the central and Central Highlands regions.
A doctor gives check-up to a child under the cleft lip and palate surgery programme in Dak Lak province (Photo: VNA)
Dak Lak (VNA) – A cleft lip and palate surgeryprogramme kicked off in Dak Lak province on December 18, expected to benefitchildren with the deformities in seven provinces in the central and CentralHighlands regions.
2020 is the sixth consecutive year the programme has been organisedby Operation Smile Vietnam and the Dak Lak provincial Fund for Children.
The prorgamme, targeting Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, DakNong, Lam Dong, Khanh Hoa, and Phu Yen, is set to provide screening for 120 - 150patients and give free surgeries and treatment for 80 - 100 of them.
Surgeries will be conducted at the Central Highlands GeneralHospital, based in Dak Lak, from December 19 to 22 by 50 voluntary doctors fromnationwide.
Patients coming for screening and surgeries will alsoreceive some financial aid covering their travel, food, and accommodationexpenses.
Vice Chairwoman of the Dak Lak People’s Committee H’Yim Kdon,who is also head of the provincial Fund for Children’s patronage council, saidthere are currently 4,089 children with disabilities and fatal illnesses needingsupport in the province.
In the five years the programme was organised in Dak Lak, nearly1,000 local children received operations at the total cost of over 5.5 billionVND (238,000 USD).
She thanked Operation Smile Vietnam and the voluntarydoctors for this meaningful deed, adding that the programme is helpful ineasing the burden on the poor and bringing smiles back to children.
On the programme’s sidelines, the Dak Lak Fund for Childrenand Operation Smile Vietnam will also give dental check-ups and treatment to2,000 - 3,000 primary students in Buon Don district from December 21 to 25./.
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A doctor gives check-up to a child under the cleft lip and palate surgery programme in Dak Lak province (Photo: VNA) 
