By Rachel Kakraba
CEO of the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital and Medical Director for Operation Smile, Dr. Opoku-Ware Ampomah, has expressed fear that activities of illegal miners popularly known as galamsey could see an increase in deformities in children, with particular reference to cleft lip and palate conditions.
This, he said, is because aside from genetic issues, activities related to the environment also play a crucial role.
“Clefts are caused by a number of factors. So there are genetic factors and environmental factors. Now we also know that heavy metal contamination. Okay, or some of the substances that are used in the galamsey activities can actually cause birth defects. And since clefting is one of the common birth defects, we can say by extension that if you have a situation where your water bodies or your food sources get contaminated with a lot of these heavy metals, then the chances of you getting children born with these abnormalities will be higher.”
Speaking at a news conference ahead of an Operation Smile Mission in September, Dr. Ampomah said cleft lip and palate is the most common facial deformity but can be corrected through surgery. He said about two thousand five hundred people have already received safe surgeries and urged parents with children with the condition not to despair but seek help.
“There’s treatment available, that’s a good thing.”
Dr. Opoku-Ware Ampomah said Operation Smile has intensified its efforts in reaching more people living. Adding, “I also like to caution all women who are in the fertile age, that when you miss your period, don’t start just taking any medication anyhow. Check whether you are pregnant or not, so that you don’t end up ingesting the substance that will end up affecting your child.”
Dr. Ampomah expressed appreciation to volunteers who have been part of the Operation Smile family for their unwavering dedication, hard work, and passion for creating smiles and changing lives.
Cleft conditions are congenital deformities that occur in the early stages of pregnancy resulting in a child being born with an opening in the lip, cleft lip or the roof of the mouth cleft palate or both. Cleft conditions cause difficulty in breathing, eating, hearing and speaking. Operation Smile provides free, safe surgery that gives children and adults new life.
Acting Country Manager, Operation Smile, Henry Quist, encouraged parents and guardians to take advantage of ‘operation smile’ outreaches.
“Immediately a child is born with this condition, the mother should try and get in touch with us. When the child is under six months, we can’t have surgery. But within that first six months, the child will be given all the nutritional needs supplements that he or she needs so that if you do it very well, within six months all the necessary vitals within your body will be set for you to undergo the surgery.”
He said the surgeries not only fix physical deformities but improve the overall quality of life for the children, boosting their self-esteem and opening new opportunities for them.
Some parents whose children have been beneficiaries shared their experiences.
Operation Smile Ghana, a non-profit organisation, is the largest provider of free cleft care in the country. It helps children born with cleft conditions smile again.
Partner facilities for the intervention include Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital, and Polyclinic and Ho Teaching Hospital. Others are the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and Eastern Regional Hospital.
