Smile Train Launches Africa Alumni Network for Cleft Care

Smile Train, the world's largest cleft-focused charity, inaugurated its first Africa Alumni Network during a general assembly aimed at strengthening locally-led cleft care. The event attracted 35 healthcare professionals, including surgeons, anaesthesia providers, and speech professionals from Nigeria, Mali, Zambia, Niger, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso.

Emili Manjeru, Smile Train's Senior Manager of Public Relations for Africa, described the initiative as a holistic step toward sustainable cleft care in Africa. The assembly comes at a time when the continent faces a severe shortage of surgical personnel, with the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery indicating that African countries remain below the recommended benchmark of at least 20 surgeons, anaesthetists, and obstetricians per 100,000 population.

Dr. Kayode Fayemi, former Ekiti State Governor and founder of the Amandla Institute for Policy Leadership Advancement, urged participants to expand their influence beyond clinical practice to shape policies that strengthen healthcare systems.

Nkeiruka Obi, Smile Train's Vice President and Regional Director for Africa, noted that the newly established network would serve as a platform for mentorship, research, advocacy, and knowledge sharing to improve access to safe, high-quality cleft care.