Kumasi: Cleft lip palate treatment requires a timely and multidisciplinary approach to ensure safe and quality outcomes. It must include comprehensive support programs, which are essential to improve care and reduce stigma of the condition, Dr. Gyikua Plange-Rhule, a paediatrician at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and a member of the Africa Medical Advisory Council, has stated.
According to Ghana News Agency, speaking in an interview in Kumasi, Dr. Plange-Rhule explained that cleft lip palate is a congenital condition coupled with environmental factors that interfere with the development of the baby's face in the womb. The baby struggles with nasal reflux that makes feeding quite tiring and difficult. She said the cleft lip palate also impairs speech and breathing.
Dr. Plange-Rhule highlighted that cleft lip palate continues to be a major public health challenge, affecting the quality of life of patients. Between February 2023 and February 2024, 74 new cases of cleft lip palate were recorded in Kumasi, comprising 33 males and 41 females, with ages ranging from one day old to 21 years. Research indicates an incidence of 1 in 763 live births, meaning the condition is common in Kumasi.
Cleft lip palate repair at KATH has positively impacted parents and patients' satisfaction and psychological well-being. This signifies that a hospital-based cleft lip palate centre can deliver safe, timely, and multidisciplinary care even in low-resource settings.
In response to this need, the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital has established a National Cleft Care Centre, a modern hub for training, treatment, and providing care for a large number of patients. Dr. Plange-Rhule emphasized the need for more tailored support services that could optimize the psychological efforts of cleft lip repair in health facilities.
She advised pregnant mothers to avoid tobacco and take prenatal vitamins. Families with a history of cleft lip palate are encouraged to consult health professionals before pregnancy. She called for sustainable blueprints for global health institutions to address congenital anomalies in similar environments.
Miss Ernestina Oboir, a former cleft lip patient, shared her experience of being born with the condition and how the intervention of dedicated surgeons at KATH had guided her towards wholeness.