| Project | Cleft Lip and Palate Project (CLIPP) |
| Objectives | To improve the appearance and function of palate patients with or without facial formalities |
| Project Partners | Sitagu Ayudana Hospital, Sagaing, Mandalay |
| Activities | • Educating parents/caregivers on the management of children/patients post surgery • Monitoring patients post surgery to inhibit or reduce incidences of post-anaesthesia complications • Educating families on the symptoms of cleft lip and palate heredity connection |
| Locations | Sitagu Ayudana Hospital, Sagaing, Mandalay |
| Period | 21st to 29th June 2014 |
| Accomplishments | The oral maxilla-facial team operated on 50 cleft lip and palate patients within 8 days, and without any post-operative complications |
Background
The main objective of this mission is to provide free reconstructive cleft lip and palate to underprivileged children with cleft lip and deformities in Mandalay, Myanmar. This mission also focused on health education with regards to nutrition intake, oral hygiene, post-operative education, and speech functions for caregivers.
MERCY Malaysia efforts
MERCY Malaysia team has successfully conducted a second mission of Cleft Lip and Palate (CLIPP) surgery project to underprivileged children with cleft lip and/or palate deformities in Mandalay, Myanmar from 21 – 29 June 2014. During the 8-day mission in Sitagu Ayudana Hospital, Myanmar, the oral maxilla-facial team operated on 50 cleft lip and palate patients (with or without facial deformities) to improve appearance and function. The team was well accepted by the local community as one of the team members is a native to Myanmar. At the conclusion on the mission day, the local hospital medical superintendent requested for MERCY Malaysia volunteer anaesthetist to perform a spinal block on a patient as a Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme for the local anaesthetists. The session presented as a good opportunity for the MERCY Malaysia team to build trust and rapport not only with the hospital staff but also with the local population. All surgeries went well with no post-operative complications
