GUWAHATI: A Stockholm-based NGO has embarked on a weeklong campaign here from Saturday to perform specialised surgeries on cleft patients with additional abnormalities, and more importantly, offer them a life-saving “second chance”.
A medical team under The Second Chance, as the Swedish organisation is aptly named, will screen as many as 250 cleft patients with cardiological, neurological and other complexities at the Mission Smile comprehensive cleft care centre here before deeming them fit for surgery.
“Every patient is worth a second chance to be re-screened and it is with this motto that I formed the NGO a few years back. Besides when I was with Mission Smile (formerly Operation Smile), I had seen so many patients with complicated cases face rejection because of lack of expertise and equipment,” Gunilla Loof, the founder of The Second Chance, told The Shillong Times here on Saturday.
This is the NGO’s fourth camp here since 2014 and about 150 patients have been successfully operated upon so far.
“We are helping those cleft patients who were rejected because their complexities would discourage a risk-free surgery,” she said.
The 10-member team comprises craniofacial surgeons, anaesthesiologists, pediatric cardiologists and anesthesia nurses.
“Our surgeons will help two surgeons of the centre here in treating critical cases like a difficult airway or a critical heart or neuro problem. Ours is a small team but we have the expertise, equipment and experience to help Mission Smile perform surgeries without risking the patient’s life,” Loof, who is also an anesthesia nurse with over two decades of experience in surgical missions, said.
Although the NGO has not set any target as such, patients would be selected for surgery on a priority basis.
The fund donors – an elderly couple besides two members of Lulea Lions, Sweden – are also present at the camp here.
“We had been associated with the NGO since last year. They are doing good work which is why we took the initiative. So far we have garnered 50,000 euro for the NGO, of which, 5000 euro will be spent in this camp,” said Catherena Berggren, as her husband, Ove nodded in acknowledgement.
Apart from 118 difficult cleft cases, another 140 cases of malnourished cleft children are scheduled to be screened at the camp.
“There are about 15 difficult cases and 85 malnourished cleft patients in our list from Meghalaya. We have informed them about the camp. The surgeries will be performed from Monday once the evaluation and examination is completed,” Dipul Malakar, senior manager (programme), Mission Smile, told this correspondent.
Mission Smile authorities inform that in Meghalaya, most of the critical cases are reported from Jaintia Hills and East Khasi Hills.
“These are not normal cleft cases and therefore there is a great deal of difficulty associated with the surgery procedure, anaesthesia administration and line of treatment. Besides, in case of malnutrition patients there are feeding issues while the wounds take a long time to heal,” Hiteswar Sarma, medical director and general manager, Mission Smile, said.