Health - Operation Smile South Africa putting a smile on children's faces

On Sakhisizwe today, we spoke to Sarah Driver-Jowitt - Regional Director for Operation Smile Southern Africa. OSSA is part of a global non-profit medical services organization that provides free, safe reconstructive surgery to children and young adults born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities. According to OSSA, Cleft lips and cleft palates are the fourth most common birth defects in the world and are typically corrected shortly after a baby’s birth in areas with sufficient access to health care. However, for many children in rural areas around the world, medical treatment is not available.The organisation is currently on a mission in Madagascar to perform surgeries to hundreds of children who have cleft lips/palates and will do so in other African countries including South Africa. For further information you can visit www.operationsmile.org.za or contact 0800 SMILE or 0800 76453.

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