ISLAMABAD: Chinese doctors joined Pakistani surgeons to operate upon 48 cleft lip and palate patients during a five-day medical camp. Dr Ma Lian and Dr Zhou Xia of Beijing Cleft Hospital have especially travelled to Islamabad to join the camp during which a number of affected patients were successfully operated upon. The camp was arranged by the Islamabad Cleft Lip & Palate Association (ICLPA). It was set up at Dr Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital, Bharaku. During their stay in Islamabad, the Chinese doctors also provided training to the young medical practitioners to treat these patients. At a reception hosted on Sunday in honour of the Chinese doctors, it was announced that the two sides will cooperate with each other to set up a Cleft Lip & Palate Centre to provide the treatment to the deserving patients on a regular basis free of cost. The reception was addressed among others by the association’s president M Aftab, Farhat Akhtar Rahman, Professor Dr Azhar Sheikh, Zainab Salman and Dr Zahida Ahmed who explained the complexity of the disease and its treatment process, while pledging to continue the mission to serve the ailing ones. Dr Farhat Akhtar Rahman said they feel immense pleasure to give the affected children a new life and to see a smile on their faces. She said it was her pride to continue the mission of her late husband Dr Akhtar Rahman who had devoted his whole life to help cleft lip and palate patients lead a normal life, being able to speak, eat and hear. The speakers eulogised the services of the Chinese doctors who spared their valuable time visiting Islamabad to provide medical support to cleft lip and palate patients. Dr Ma Lian said she was keen to come to Pakistan and provide medical services to Pakistanis, which she has been doing for the last many years. Aftab said his organisation had been providing free medical facilities to poor families since 2002 with the support of families, friends and well wishers. He announced that a medical centre will be established in Islamabad to provide medical aid to the affected people on regular basis. “They are looking forward for a donation of a two-canal plot for this purpose,” he added. The ICLPA is a group of volunteers who devote their services to bring hope and happiness in the lives of the deprived section of the people for whom it was financially difficult to get their children treated. Delay in treatment of the suffering children could lead to speech, behavioural and psychological problems. Dr Azhar Sheikh said nearly 10,000 children with these deformities are born every year in Pakistan and alarmingly about 200,000 kids with these deformities are waiting to be operated upon. Cleft lip occurs more frequently than cleft palate. Boys are more commonly affected by only cleft lip or cleft lip with cleft palate whereas girls suffer more from cleft palate. Problems in eating or feeding, ear infections, hearing loss, speech impairment, dental issues and social isolation are issues associated with deformities among children. Special shields and certificates were given on the occasion to doctors, who served in the medical camp, in recognition of their dedicated services. Published in Daily Times, May 15th 2018.