In Pakistan, Operation Smile joined forces with the Cleft Lip and Palate Association of Pakistan (CLAPP) in 2023, which has provided care to around 45,000 patients in past 20 years.
The CLAPP is led by Dr. Ghulam Fayyaz, who has been a long-term volunteer with Operation Smile and is dedicated to improving access to quality cleft care in Pakistan.
THE NEED
4th largest cleft population. Pakistan has the fourth largest population of people living with cleft conditions behind China, India and Indonesia. The prevalence of cleft conditions is one in 523 live births.
Shortage of providers. The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery proposed that, to meet populations’ needs, countries should have at least 20 specialist surgical workers per 100,000 population. In stark contrast, Pakistan has just six specialist surgical providers per 100,000 people. Overseas migration exacerbates the shortage of doctors. About 1,000–1,500 physicians leave the country annually, of which just 10%–15% return to Pakistan.
Financial burden. The prevalence of unofficial payments for health care at government facilities creates obstacles to accessing health care for individuals affected by cleft conditions. 31% of the population is at risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care, while 53% faces catastrophic expenditure in case of surgical care. Vulnerable population groups are often forced to sell assets or borrow money to cover health expenses.
Strained health system. Pakistan’s unprecedented rate of urbanization since the 1990s has resulted in the proliferation of slums, which lack basic services such as safe water supply, sanitation and waste collection. The absence of quality health services in slums can lead to delayed or inadequate treatment for children living with cleft conditions, potentially resulting in complications and poor health outcomes.
Cleft Care Programs
This year, Operation Smile Pakistan will recruit 900 patients. These patients come from diverse backgrounds and regions and find their way to clinical care through a network of referrals that emanate not only from governmental bodies but also from the collaborative efforts of various NGOs. Operation Smile will provide surgical care for 720 patients in Pakistan. We will expand comprehensive cleft care services by providing consultations in oral health (240 patients) and speech therapy (350 patients).
Education Programs
We will mitigate the shortage of skilled healthcare professionals by providing top-quality education and training for approximately 310 medical providers in Pakistan. Operation Smile will provide American Heart Association courses and deliver training for cleft surgeons, oral health specialists and speech therapists.
FIVE-YEAR VISION
Over the next five years, we will provide surgical care for 4,710 patients. Additionally, we will deliver consultations to around 4,700 patients, expanding access to comprehensive cleft care.
Operation Smile will strengthen the health workforce by providing medical education and training to 51 surgeons, 32 dentists and 28 speech therapists. We will provide American Heart Association courses to 415 individuals.