DAR ES SALAAM: MUHIMBILI National Hospital (MNH) has urged parents of children with cleft lip and palate to bring their children for treatment at no cost.
To achieve this treatment, MNH will collaborate with Smile Train Tanzania, where treatment will be provided to the number of children who will be delivered.
It has been stated that a total of 2,500 children are born with cleft lip and palate per year.
Speaking to journalists in Dar es Salaam, on behalf of the MNH Executive Director, Dr Delilah Kimambo, the Director of Surgical Services, Dr Rachel Mhavile said patients will be transported wherever they are and brought to the hospital for treatment and after the treatment they will be returned at the hospital’s expense.
“Anyone with such a child or even an adult should call us on 0790312335, they will be arrested wherever they are, come to Muhimbili for services and they will be returned to them.
She said statistics show that many children are born with cleft lip and palate every year in the country, so the presence of specialized services is important to ensure they receive timely treatment.
She explained that the hospital has a team of professionals in various fields who collaborate to serve the child at all stages of treatment, thus eliminating the need for the parent to seek care at different centers.
“When the child arrives here, all necessary services are assigned according to age and stage of treatment. Various specialists are treating him together until he completes his treatment,” she said.
Furthermore, She said that in collaboration with their stakeholders, they have set up a special procedure to receive patients from various parts of the country, where all children who will be brought to the center will be provided with free services until they complete their treatment.
She added that after the surgery and other treatments are completed, the patients will continue to be monitored to ensure they recover well and make the expected progress.
For her part, Smile Train Tanzania Project Manager, Veronica Kamwela
said that medical services continue to be provided in Muhimbili and patients from all parts of Tanzania are welcome to come to the hospital for services.
“Any child or adult who has never had cleft lip or palate surgery is welcome to come to Muhimbili National Hospital. He will be admitted and scheduled for surgery and will continue with treatment until he recovers,” She said.
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Kamwela urged Tanzanians to report when they see children or adults with the same challenge so that they can be referred to Muhimbili for treatment, emphasizing that these services are available free of charge to eligible patients.
She noted that the organization is financially prepared to cover the treatment of all patients who arrive at the hospital and that it has not set a limit on the number of children or adults that will be served.
“We have enough resources to ensure that every patient who arrives receives treatment. We do not have a specific number of patients; all who come will be admitted and provided with care until they recover,” She said.