July 27, 2021
By: Kamal M Barrie (Kenema)
A team of professional Medical Doctors came to Kenema from Ghana and the United States of America (USA) to undertake a Free Cleft/Palate Surgical operation to patients who have been suffering from such an illness.
Addressing a cross section of Journalists, Civil Society Activists and Patients, Dr. Ibrahim Mark Kapuwa introduced the Doctors to the public and said he was invited to Ghana by SmileTrain to do training on Cleft/Palate Surgical operation.
He stated that after he completed the training in Ghana sponsored by SmileTrain, an American based Non-Governmental Organization decided to provide practical benevolent operations which they have carried out for over a week now and further revealed that plenty Sierra Leoneans from all parts of the country have benefited from the free surgical operation.
Dr. Kapuwa, Medical Superintendent of the Kenema Government Hospital as well as the Focal Person for Smile Train and the free Cleft/Palate Surgical operation in Sierra Leone revealed that people have been suffering from Cleft Palate sickness.
He explained that most of the patients and are faced with public humiliation as some communities with people with cleft condition were branded as demons or evil spirit, some would go as far as that the victims mothers were not faithful to their spouses during pregnancy.
Dr Kapuwa explained that, all sorts of negative words or stories were branded against their predicaments, but added that smile Train has been helping people across the world to see that such myth becomes a thing of the past.
“The Management and Staff of the Kenema Government Hospital is highly glad for such an opportunity facing the people of Sierra Leone especially Kenema community. Smile Train has provided me with Cleft Palate Surgical Operational training in Ghana and now they are in Kenema to provide a free surgical operation to patients. Thank you Madam Victoria and SmileTrain for bringing Doctors, materials and other Instruments/equipment which are very expensive and we as hospital staff we are happy. Today you are also here to officially handover my Training Certificate to me on my Country Soil”, Dr. Ibrahim Mark Kapuwa explained.
Dr. Kapuwa ended by saying he is quite sure that the children of Sierra Leone who have been suffering from Cleft/Palate pathogen will be on a smile mood as some will benefit immensely.
On behalf of the Medical Doctors that came to Kenema from Ghana, Dr. Solomon Obiri Yeboah thanked the people of Kenema for giving them a warm welcome. He further revealed that he came with Anesthesiologists to Sierra Leone to specifically provide free surgical operation to patients with cleft/palate and at the same time make Kenema a Cleft Center.
“I came with Dr. Sam Awotri who is an Anesthesiologist and who is in charge of Training Anesthesiatic in Kumasi, Ghana. With us here we have Dr. Bob Lahmi, Madam Victoria from SmileTrain, I and Dr. Solomon Obiri Yeboah”. Dr. Obiri Yeboah stated.
The Ghanaian doctor said that Dr. Kapuwa was with them in Ghana for training and exposure in Cleft/Palate Surgical operation as according to him Cleft surgery is very special and skill demanding and because of that they decided to train Dr. Kapuwa as their aim is to build a Center for a Comprehensive Cleft Care.
“Cleft Care is not only closing the gap and letting the patients go but cleft Care is also about putting a smile on the face of the patient and make the family happy. When the cleft is in the palate it is very comprehensive and one person alone cannot do it but it needs the community, the Nutritionist to determine what food the patient eats, and also needs a Speech Language Pathologist who will train the patient how to talk. We need nurses as well to take great care of the patients. We are here in Kenema to make kenema a cleft care center for Sierra Leone”, the head of the Cleft Care Doctors revealed.
He ended by saying on behalf of Ghana Cleft Care Foundation, SmileTrain represented by Madam Victoria and other Institutions we present this certificate, a Cleft Care book, and Cleft Care tool box to Dr. Ibrahim Mark Kapuwa to continue the cleft operation and to expand the knowledge of the training he acquired from Ghana.
Dr. Donald Samuel Grant of the Kenema District Medical Officer, speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation thanked SmileTrain and Doctors from Ghana for the training given to Dr. Kapuwa as well as the free Cleft Palate Surgical operations they have been doing for the past days alongside the donation of the tool box.
He said Ghana has been a sister country to Sierra Leone and he is not seeing it as a surprise. ” My people including the Fourth Estate and Civil Society Activists, this is a clear manifestation to show proof as to how the Health Leadership of the Kenema Government Hospital as well as the District have been playing a pivotal role to restore the health situation of Kenema District.
“We are gradually moving from the previous stage which people have been talking about but I’m pleading onto you to carry out this good news far and wide so that cleft victims will come to Kenema and tap the free surgical cleft/palate operation. The numberless of operations ongoing is not only people from Kenema but it cut across the country as you can see people from port Loko, Freetown, Makeni, Kono, Bo and other places. We have been praying for Kenema to be an excellent cleft Care center of Sierra Leone and we have succeeded in that direction. We thank Madam Victoria and SmileTrain for such an impressive support given to the people of Sierra Leone. We can now do our cleft operations in Sierra Leone rather than going to Ghana. But let me inform you that Dr. Kapuwa alone, I and Staff cannot succeed without you the community people. Help us pass this message to save lives of Cleft victims” DMO stated.
The occasion was climax with a group photo with SmileTrain Doctors, Kenema Medical Staff and Cleft/Palate Beneficiaries at the Kenema Government Hospital.