Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2026
Nasal Brushing Sampling and Processing Using Digital High Speed Ciliary Videomicroscopy – Adaptation for the COVID-19 Pandemic
Published on: November 7, 2020
Application of Safety Protocols for International Cleft Outreach Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Global Smile
Omar S Al Abyad1, Beyhan Annan1, Antonio Melhem1
1Global Smile Foundation, Norwood, MA, USA.
Insights
Global Smile Foundation (GSF) developed COVID-19 safety protocols for cleft lip and palate outreach in Lebanon. These guidelines ensure patient and team safety during global health crises, enabling continued care for underserved populations.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Public Health
- Surgical Outreach
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted cleft lip and palate outreach programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
- This disruption increased the backlog of untreated patients and presented new challenges for comprehensive care delivery.
- Resuming international outreach necessitates updated safety measures to address ongoing pandemic concerns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline safety protocols, guidelines, and recommendations for cleft outreach programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To detail the implementation of these protocols during a surgical outreach trip to Beirut, Lebanon.
- To provide a framework for future outreach initiatives in high-risk settings.
Main Methods:
- Developed COVID-19 safety protocols and an Action Response Plan based on existing literature and international recommendations.
- Implemented comprehensive safety measures throughout the outreach program, including patient preselection, screening, intraoperative care, and postoperative follow-up.
- Conducted a 1-week surgical outreach program in Beirut, Lebanon.
Main Results:
- Performed 13 primary cleft lip repairs, 7 cleft palate repairs, and 1 alveolar bone grafting procedure.
- Successfully implemented safety protocols across all stages of the outreach program.
- Ensured the safety and well-being of patients and the surgical team.
Conclusions:
- Prioritizing patient and team safety is crucial for outreach programs operating during infectious disease outbreaks.
- The developed COVID-19 protocols offer a reproducible framework for planning future medical outreach initiatives in challenging global health conditions.
- These guidelines facilitate the continuation of essential surgical care for cleft patients in LMICs amidst global health crises.
Background:
Since COVID-19 was declared a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March of 2020, foundation-based cleft outreach programs to Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) were halted considering global public health challenges, scarcity of capacity and resources, and travel restrictions. This led to an increase in the backlog of untreated patients with cleft lip and/or palate, with new challenges to providing comprehensive care in those regions. Resumption of international outreach programs requires an updated course of action to incorporate necessary safety measures in the face of the ongoing pandemic. In this manuscript, the authors outline safety protocols, guidelines, and recommendations implemented in Global Smile Foundation's (GSF) most recent outreach trip to Beirut, Lebanon.
Methods:
COVID-19 safety protocols for outreach cleft care and an Action Response Plan were developed by the GSF team based on the published literature and recommendations from leading international organizations.
Results:
GSF conducted a 1-week surgical outreach program in Beirut, Lebanon, performing 13 primary cleft lip repairs, 7 cleft palate repairs, and 1 alveolar bone grafting procedure. Safety protocols were implemented at all stages of the outreach program, including patient preselection and education, hospital admission and screening, intraoperative care, and postoperative monitoring and follow-up.
Conclusions:
Organizing outreach programs in the setting of infectious diseases outbreaks should prioritize the safety and welfare of patients and team members within the program's local community. The COVID-19 protocols and guidelines described may represent a reproducible framework for planning future similar outreach initiatives in high-risk conditions.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...
01:22PPE Use in Healthcare Settings I: Donning
01:26Standard Precaution
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
01:17Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...
01:22Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation II: ACLS Airway Management