BELA RISU Answers Cleft Lip Anomalies

By John Kariuki

Patients with a cleft lip and palate anomaly have a reason to smile after localisation of medical care for the congenital problem was availed in Kenya.

Bela Risu (meaning beautiful smile) is a medical facility based in Park Road Ngara and it offers free Cleft Lip and cleft palatw surgery.

The BelaRisu Medical Centre, located at Park Road in Ngara, provides surgeries to both children and adults, nutritional support, orthodontics and speech therapy.

• It also trains health professionals from other facilities on cleft management.

The foundation’s CEO Dr Martin Kamau said they provide cleft surgeries such as cleft lip and palate surgeries, rhinoplasties, alveolar bone grafting, orthognathic surgery, nutritional support, orthodontics and speech therapy.

“We always strive to empower local healthcare practitioners with the knowledge and skills to be able to provide these surgical services for continuity,” he said.

***Dr. Martin Kamau, Founder of Bela Risu Hospital… Bela Risu, meaning “beautiful smile” offers free Cleft Lip and cleft palate surgery***

Cleft lip and palate is among the most common congenital disabilities found among live births.

In Kenya, it is estimated that six children are born with cleft lip and or cleft palate every day.

The resulting facial deformity is devastating not only for the infant but also for the affected family(s).

Further, the visible facial defect not only has a detrimental effect on feeding, development of language and hearing but also on psychological development due to the social stigma attached to it.

“Despite its common occurrence, it remains a surgically neglected disease due to healthcare policies prioritising the management of communicable and non-communicable diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, diabetes and cancer.”

He said they also noted an increased demand for orthodontics, nutritional support and speech therapy services amongst cleft patients.

“Previously, medical teams had to travel long distances to provide orthodontic, speech therapy and nutritional support services. This made it expensive and logistically difficult to execute, hence the consideration of BMC as part of the solution,” Kamau said.