Local Health Care Partnerships Strengthening Our Partnerships with Local Healthcare Providers

“We know it is time to do more and that means having more people caring for more patients in more places.” Mark Climie-Elliott, CEO of Operation Smile Canada

Operation Smile has deepened its commitment to provide safe, timely and accessible cleft surgeries and comprehensive care to our patients worldwide. No child should have to wait for surgery because of the distance and cost to receive cleft care, which is why we are partnering with local hospitals to bring cleft care closer to patients’ homes.

Expanding cleft care in La Guajira, Colombia, is the first of many steps being taken by Operation Smile towards our goal of impacting the lives of a million more patients over the next decade. Your commitment enabled monthly surgical programs at our hospital partner in Cochabamba city and strengthened our partnerships with hospitals in Santa Cruz and La Guajira and the University of Aquinas Bolivia.  

“The need for a greater and more sustained presence in La Guajira is great,” said Marcela Forero, Executive Director of Operation Smile Colombia. She added, “Many of the estimated 22,000 patients with cleft conditions in Colombia live there. It’s a long way to travel to Bogotá and most people can’t afford the expense. With this investment, we can provide care closer to home.”