Changing lives across 34 countries

Thanks to the kindness of our donors and partners, in our last financial year (FY23/24) year we’ve achieved so much. Once again, across 34 countries, our local and international medical volunteers have given up their time, for free, to transform the future for thousands of children and adults with cleft conditions.   

We’ve trained local medical teams and invested in hospitals and health facilities to make sure that more people can get the care they need, closer to home.

In FY23/24, we:

  • provided safe surgical care to more than 15,500 patients
  • held 204 surgical programmes
  • provided comprehensive care to over 86,000 patients

Transforming lives in Malawi

Thanks to a collaboration with the Kentown Wizard Foundation and the Malawi Ministry of Health, in Malawi, Operation Smile increased surgical capacity and made great strides to improving year-round cleft care for patients in the country. Awareness campaigns supported by radio, social media, and print materials, led to the recruitment of 291 new patients. Speech therapy services reached 236 children, with 56 graduating after showing remarkable improvements in their speech, confidence, and communication skills. Family workshops empowered parents to support their children’s progress at home and the programme also ensured ongoing professional development for speech therapists. 

Community volunteer Alic with some of the patients he brought to the surgical programme in Mzuzu, Malawi

In addition to speech therapy, Operation Smile Malawi expanded its nutrition care programme across 13 sites, reaching almost 400 patients. 65 local health professionals (including COSECSA surgery fellows, biomedical engineers, and speech therapists) benefitted from training and education. Efforts to strengthen surgical capacity also included advanced training for three surgery fellows and four anaesthesia trainees. A further 21 medical professionals received Basic Life Support training, 26 had training in Paediatric Advanced Life Support, and 18 students gained first aid and life support skills.  

Partnerships and progress in Kenya

In FY23/24 Operation Smile Kenya made great progress in enhancing hospital partnerships and local resources, particularly under the leadership of their new Country Manager, Dr. Kinyanjui. The team expanded its professional capacity by credentialing a new maxillofacial surgeon and plastic surgeon and reviewing its volunteer portfolio to ensure a highly-qualified team for safe surgery and educational programmes. Specific training initiatives were carried out for 97 anaesthesia trainees, 38 nutritionists, 57 nurses, and 26 hospital-based volunteers, strengthening cleft expertise across these specialties. Partnerships with Kenyatta National Hospital have significantly boosted surgical delivery. An increase of two to eight surgeries per month resulted in 142 patients having surgery in FY23/24 and nearly 300 patients awaiting care in FY24/25. 

A group of surgeons in blue surgical gowns and masks perform surgery in an operating room. They are focused, with one surgeon holding instruments over the patient. A wall clock is visible in the background, along with more medical staff.
A scene from an Operation Smile surgical programme in Nairobi, Kenya

Operation Smile Kenya also focused on nutrition and patient outreach. The nutrition programme enrolled 297 new patients and provided essential supplements and training for 38 nutritionists across the region. Training included nutrition assessment tools, breastfeeding support, and follow-up care. Additionally, 242 community stakeholders, including nine patient advocates were trained and awareness campaigns led to the recruitment of 196 new patients.  

Training, partnerships and advocacy in Ghana

Operation Smile has been active in Ghana since 2011, delivering life-changing surgical care and comprehensive cleft care for children and adults in the country. During this time we have performed more than 2,100 surgeries and 4,000 health evaluations In collaboration with five hospitals, we focus on building local capacity by training local healthcare workers to ensure the sustainability of health services. More than 100 volunteers and 48 trainees in Ghana take part in local and international surgical programmes and training initiatives. 

A person wearing an orange hijab is receiving dental care while lying back in a chair. A dental professional in gloves is using tools to examine the patient's mouth. The scene is well-lit, focusing on the dental procedure.
13 year old Ramata receiving dental care at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana

In FY23/24 Operation Smile Ghana worked with the Ministry of Health to develop a National Surgical, Anaesthesia, and Obstetrics Plan (NSOAP). This initiative addresses challenges such as the shortage of trained personnel, inadequate surgical infrastructure, and high healthcare costs. Collaboration with organisations like the World Health Organisation and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is key to advancing universal health coverage in the country and between April and June 2024, Operation Smile Ghana facilitated critical discussions on the NSOAP, emphasising the importance of global surgery advocacy in Ghana. 

Global Essential Surgery in Madagascar

In the last financial year, Operation Smile, in partnership with the UBS Optimus Foundation, made significant strides towards improving access to surgical care in Madagascar. The Global Essential Surgery initiative addresses systemic barriers to surgery, ensuring that access to safe surgery and cleft care is a fundamental right, not a privilege. Renovations at the Centre Hospitalier Régional de Référence de Vakinankaratra (CHRR) have transformed surgical care in the region. Improvements include updated operating rooms, modernised electrical and plumbing systems, and the addition of new medical tools and equipment. These enhancements have expanded the hospital’s surgical capabilities, allowing for a broader range of procedures, such as prostate surgeries and dental operations. 

Celvinah and her father Zabe. Photo: Lorenzo Monacelli
Celvinah and her father at a surgical programme in Antsirabe, Madagascar

In addition to infrastructure upgrades, training programmes for medical staff have bolstered healthcare delivery in the Vakinankaratra region. These programmes cover life-threatening injury management, basic life support, and specialised skills for anesthesia and surgery. By involving staff from various hospitals and primary care facilities, the initiative has improved surgical care access across the country. These combined efforts have not only increased the number of surgeries but have also brought safe, high-quality healthcare closer to the local people. 

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