Children with cleft lips often face social, emotional and behavioral problems due to differences in appearance. Parents of children with clefts become unhappy as they miss the smiling faces of their beloved kids. Clefts can be easily fixed through surgical procedures but this kind of plastic surgery is costly. But here is a good news for economically stressed parents of children with clefts. Techno India Dama Hospital, a leading healthcare institution in Kolkata, has announced its collaboration with Mission Smile and Muthoot Pappachan Foundation to conduct a comprehensive Cleft Surgical Camp, providing free cleft surgeries to kids from deserving backgrounds and young adults of West Bengal. The four-day mission will take place from 4th to 7th August, 2023, at Techno India Dama Hospital, Kolkata.
SMILE PLEASE, is the Pan India Initiative of Muthoot Pappachan Foundation to provide free, safe, compassionate, and comprehensive cleft surgeries to kids and youngsters from deserving backgrounds. Started in 2014 from Kerala, in partnership with Mission Smile, the Initiative has touched 12 states and so far, has accomplished 2644 successful surgeries across the country. So far 366 kids and youngsters from West Bengal received surgeries through this programme through the last 6 Missions at Kolkata. This is going to be the 7th Mission at Kolkata as part of this partnership and the first one at Techno India Dama Hospital.
The announcement of this noble initiative was made in the presence of Prof. ManoshiRoychowdhury, Co-Chairperson, Techno India Group, Mr Conrad G Dennis, CEO, Mission Smile, Dr Manish Mukul Ghosh, Plastic Surgeon & Field Medical Director of the Camp, Mr Anand Kumar Bhagat- Area Manager, West Bengal, Muthoot FinCorp Ltd. and Dr Sourav Ghosh, Medical Director, Techno India Dama Hospital.
A total of 50 beneficiaries have been identified from various districts of West Bengal like Murshidabad, West and East Midnipur, South 24 Paraganas, North 24 Paraganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Malda, and Krishnanagar. Following the screening, the surgeries will be conducted by a highly skilled team of medical experts from various fields, including Plastic Surgery, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Anaesthesiology. Paediatrics, Dentistry, Speech Language Pathology and Nursing, coming together from different parts of India and abroad.
“We are extremely happy to host this transformative initiative in partnership with Mission Smile and Muthoot Pappachan Foundation. Our collective goal is to provide free-of-cost cleft surgeries to those in need and empower them to lead healthier and more fulfilling lives,” said Prof. Manoshi Roychowdhury, Co- Chairperson, Techno India Group.
“We firmly believe in the power of transformative healthcare initiatives of which corrective surgery for cleft is extremely important. Through the association between Techno India Dama Hospital, Mission Smile and Funded and supported by Muthoot Pappachan Foundation we aim to create a positive impact in the lives of children and young adults in West Bengal, enabling them to embrace their future with confidence and hope”, said Mr Conrad G Dennis, CEO, Mission Smile.
“More than 50 cleft procedures are anticipated to be performed during the four-day cleft surgical camp, having a significant influence on the beneficiaries’ and their families’ lives. The programme is a proof of the dedication of all stakeholders involved in bridging the gap between the unfulfilled medical needs of cleft patients of West Bengal”, said Dr Sourav Ghosh, Medical Director, Techno India Dama Hospital.
“Muthoot FinCorp branches in West Bengal, especially in Murshidabad, West and East Midnipur, South 24 Paraganas, North 24 Paraganas, Howrah, Hoogly. Malda and Krishnanagar districts were keen in doing extensive outreach activities to reach out to the families of cleft patients, building confidence in them and bringing them to the hospital to avail surgeries to their kids. This is seen as one of the selfless and dedicated act of the Muthoot staff members who normally are into financial services for which they reach out to the common man in their financial requirements and positively change the quality of their lives”, said Mr Anand Kumar Bhagat-Area Manager, West Bengal, Muthoot FinCorp Ltd.