African Health Experts Unite for Cleft Care Initiative

Smile Train organized an assembly that brought together 35 surgeons and anaesthesia providers from Nigeria, Mali, Zambia, Niger, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso to strengthen locally-led cleft care. Emili Manjeru, Senior Manager of Public Relations for Smile Train Africa, described the initiative as a holistic step toward sustainable cleft care in Africa, addressing the severe shortage of surgical personnel.

Dr. Kayode Fayemi, former Ekiti State Governor and founder of the Amandla Institute, emphasized the importance of expanding influence beyond clinical practice to shape policies that strengthen healthcare systems.

Nkeiruka Obi, Vice President and Regional Director for Africa at Smile Train, noted the establishment of a new network aimed at improving healthcare quality. The initiative is crucial as approximately 40,000 children are born with cleft conditions annually in Africa.

Since 2002, Smile Train has supported over 200,000 free cleft surgeries and established partnerships with various medical institutions to enhance surgical training and capacity across the continent.