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The Road Less Traveled: The Marham National Health Institute's Journey on Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery Missions
Abdoljalil Kalantar-Hormozi1, Mitra Chitsazan2, Nazanin Rita Davai3
1Department of Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery, 15 Khordad Hospital, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Insights
Volunteer plastic surgeons provided essential craniofacial reconstructive surgery to underserved patients in remote Iran. Over 2,300 surgeries were performed, addressing significant healthcare needs caused by cleft lip and palate anomalies.
Area of Science:
- Plastic Surgery
- Craniofacial Anomalies
- Global Health
Background:
- Congenital cleft lip and palate are common craniofacial birth defects worldwide.
- Patients in remote Iranian regions often delay corrective surgery due to financial and cultural barriers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of volunteer surgical missions on patients with cleft lip and palate in underserved areas of Iran.
Main Methods:
- A volunteer collective of plastic surgeons conducted 31 missions to underprivileged regions in Iran.
- Medical care and corrective surgeries were provided to patients with craniofacial anomalies.
Main Results:
- A total of 20,579 medical visits were conducted.
- 2,303 corrective surgeries for cleft lip and palate were successfully performed.
Conclusions:
- Volunteer surgical missions significantly improved healthcare access for individuals with cleft lip and palate in remote Iran.
- These missions addressed critical needs, offering life-changing reconstructive surgery to disadvantaged populations.
Abstract:
Congenital cleft lip and palate represent the prevailing craniofacial birth anomalies on a global scale. Notably, a substantial proportion of patients within remote regions of Iran defer corrective surgery until later stages of life, often in childhood or adulthood, primarily due to intricate financial and cultural constraints. In response to this pressing healthcare challenge, a dedicated collective of volunteer plastic surgeons was established in 2009 with the explicit aim of providing medical care to these underserved patients. Over the subsequent years, this compassionate team embarked on 31 meticulously planned missions to underprivileged areas scattered across the country. Through these organized endeavors, a remarkable total of 20,579 medical visits were conducted, coupled with the performance of 2,303 essential surgeries, thus offering a lifeline of healthcare to these disadvantaged individuals.
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