To ensure that every child with cleft lip or palate has access to surgical care, the Renowned Adventurers and Cipla Foundation members have begun running the coastline of Ghana to raise awareness and funds for the corrective surgeries.
It is anticipated that by the end of June 2024, surgical care would be provided for about 410 children in Ghana.
One cleft surgery costs around $700.
Adventurers, David Grier, an inspirational speaker from Cape Town, South Africa, and his friend, Andrew Stuart, would run 160 kilometres in four days, starting from the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and end at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.
The Cipla Foundation initiative, ‘Miles for Smile’, strives to ensure that every child with a cleft lip or palate has access to surgical care.
According to the World Health Organisation, approximately one in every 1,000 babies in Africa is born with a cleft lip or palate.
In Ghana, it is estimated that one in every 760 children are born with a cleft condition.
Health statistics
indicates that one in 10 children born with a cleft will die before their first birthday.
Those that survive are often malnourished, exposing them to frequent infections.
They also struggle with speech difficulties, and are frequently ostracised because of their appearance.
For these children, a relatively quick operation results in a life-changing smile.
The Cipla Foundation initiative, Miles for Smiles, through Operation Smile, strives to ensure that every child with a cleft lip or palate is treated and cared for.
To help raise awareness and funds for Operation Smile for the corrective surgeries, adventurers Grier and Stuart would be running 160 kms in four days along the coastline of Ghana.
The run will start at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and finish at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. David and Andrew are no strangers to epic undertakings.
In 2018, the duo ran roughly 4,200 kms along the entire length of The Great Wall of China, also to raise funds for much-needed cleft surgeries.
Mr Paul Mill
er, the CEO of Cipla Africa, said its philosophy ‘is to do well while doing good.’
‘We’re exploring opportunities to make a positive impact for people in local communities, starting with the launch of Miles for Smiles in Ghana to help with funding for life-changing surgeries,’ he said.
‘A smile is a promise of peace, and the first sign of love. A smile is the most inexpensive gift and yet the most valuable. It’s an unspoken language – learnt by none and understood by all.’
‘That’s why Cipla wants to help ensure that no child is left behind.’
At the beginning of March (this month), a speech surgical programme was held at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.
Supported by a team of local and international volunteers, Operation Smile Ghana screened 64 patients and performed 34 surgeries, to enhance the speech of patients who had previously received cleft palate surgery.
Source: Ghana News Agency