HKU, Cleft, Facial Deformity Foundation To Hold Oral Cancer Training

In a bid to create awareness about oral cancer, the Cleft and Facial Deformity Foundation (CFDF) in collaboration with the University of Hong Kong (HKU) is holding a training on oral cancer.

CFDF is a Nigerian based voluntary medical organisation, made up of Nigerian professionals, with the focus of caring for less privileged individuals with cleft and other craniofacial deformities through awareness creation about the scourge, as well as carrying out free cleft lip, palate and other craniofacial surgical operations.

The one-day Oral Cancer Training with the theme: ‘the use of artificial intelligence in the early detection of oral cancer’, is holding on Saturday 15th of April at Gwarimpa, Abuja.

The founder of CFDF, Dr Seidu Bello, said the collaboration with HKU is to create awareness about oral cancer among Nigerians and sensitise the populace about prevention of the scourge. “There is also a need to assist the indigent patients that are affected with oral cancer,” he added.

Speaking further, he said the burning desire to give back to the society was ignited by the observation that there were always left over of patients that turned up for surgical missions by foreigners in Nigeria.

Bello, an Abuja-based maxillofacial surgeon concluded that there was a need for the establishment of an indigenous surgical mission for craniofacial deformities among the indigent patients which gave rise to the organisation in 2011.

“We have carried out 25 outreach programmes in selected hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory as well as 10 states of the federation including Nassarawa, Kogi, Niger, Taraba, Katsina, Edo, Delta, and Oyo states.

“We have operated over 5000 patients with different kinds of facial deformities and dental problems.The foundation carried out oral health survey in a rural community of Oke Ogun in Oyo state in 2019. Wth startling discoveries about the oral health burden of the country which have been published. He said.