The Cleft and Facial Deformity Foundation, headed by Dr. Seidu Bello, has started free craniofacial surgeries for 35 patients with facial tumors in Cross River State.

The effort is being carried out in partnership with a team of medical experts from the TY Danjuma Foundation.

The 30th edition of the foundation’s free craniofacial surgery programme was flagged off on Tuesday at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, Calabar.

Chief Executive Officer of the Cleft and Deformity Foundation, Dr. Seidu Bello, said he and his team were in Calabar “to assist indigent people pained with facial tumors have confidence in themselves once again.”

Providing context on the global prevalence of cleft conditions, he said that “one in every 300 babies has cleft in America,” while “one in every 700 babies in Europe and Asia actually has a cleft.”
On Africa, he stated, “In Africa, it’s one in every 2,500 babies. So, it’s not as common even in Africa as Europe and America, but they’ve got to the level that they’re scared.”

Bello Used the occasion to renew calls for the establishment of a dedicated craniofacial hospital in Nigeria. He said the foundation has plans for a facility estimated to cost about one billion naira, but added that the federal government and public-spirited individuals could also set up such a hospital.

“This needs funding, and it needs a centre, a specialised centre, where there will be treatment, there will be everything.

That’s why we are advocating for accreditation,” he said. He appealed to the “Federal Government of Nigeria and to all well-meaning individuals to support the establishment of a standalone craniofacial hospital that can assist indigent patients with facial deformities.

According to Dr. Bello, a fully equipped hospital “would be capable of handling complex craniofacial surgeries, including facial reconstruction and microvascular transfers.”

It “would serve as a center for training and research, advancing knowledge and skills in this specialized field.” He pointed out that “currently, while we do have maxillofacial units across the country, there is no dedicated craniofacial facility in Nigeria.”

He argued that one hospital in each of the six geopolitical zones “would create centers of excellence that can provide comprehensive care for patients with facial deformities and elevate the standard of craniofacial surgery in our nation.”

The foundation’s track record was also highlighted. Dr. Bello stated, “We have performed about 2,750 complex craniofacial surgeries and awareness creation across several communities of Nigeria.” He added, “In the past 15 years, we have encountered several forms of facial deformities.”

Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, commended the foundation for the initiative.

He said health issues “have become an increasing and complex matter that needs serious attention” and that “it’s no longer possible for one person to say he can do it alone.”

He proposed collaboration between the TY Danjuma Foundation, CFDF, and the foundation run by the wife of the Cross River State Governor to sustain the programme.