As many as 73 patients with cleft lip and palate, many of them children, are all set for free surgery, thanks to an initiative of Rotary Club of Coimbatore Millennium, Vinayaga Mission Hospital, Salem and Smile Train, an international voluntary organisation that was funding the initiative.
In a press release issued in Coimbatore, Rotary Club of Coimbatore Millennium Director (Community Service) W. Paul William said that a medical camp was held on Saturday, following which 37 patients were taken to Vinayaga Mission Hospital for immediate surgical correction. The surgery would be performed for the rest in batches.
The club was organising free surgery camps for the past three years. The screening camp was held at St. Michael's Higher Secondary School.
He said that it was difficult for patients of cleft lip to consume food and further, they would also suffer from speech impairments.
All the hospital and travel expenses were also provided free of cost to the beneficiaries. The total cost of surgery and incidental expenses were borne by the Rotary Club, Vinayaga Hospital and Smile Train.
Mr. Paul William said that over the past one month, a team of volunteers from the club and the hospital visited the villages around Coimbatore to create awareness about the camp by distributing pamphlets, putting up posters besides radio announcements.
Vinayaga Mission Project Director S. Prabakaran and Rotary Club of Coimbatore Millennium president P. Parthiban took part.
