President of the Nigerian Association for Cleft Lip and Palate (NACLP), Prof Nnadozie Ugochukwu has advised pregnant women to always embrace their antenatal care programmes and take their routine drugs so as to reduce the incidence of cleft lip and palate disorder.
He urged government at all levels in Nigeria to start giving serious attention towards tackling the congenital human health challenge which is associated with new born babies.
He noted that apart from Smile Train, a leading cleft focused global charity supporting organisation, various tiers of government in the country have not really lived up to expectation in addressing the worrisome issue.
“For a layman’s understanding, cleft lip is a defect on the lip and the throat, but when it involves demarcation between the nose and the mouth, we call it palate. It is something that is congenital; we don’t know the real cause, but a lot of factors have been associated to that such as Vitamin B complex deficiency.
Speaking with newsmen at the 6th Scientific Conference and 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) taking place at the National Orthopedic Hospital Enugu, the association’s boss advised pregnant women to always take the issue of Antenatal care very seriously.
The event is sponsored by Smile Train.
“So, we advise pregnant women to always embrace their antenatal care programme and take their routine drugs, so as to reduce the incidence of cleft lip and palate as much as possible.
“In Nigeria, it is still a significant challenge because people born with cleft lip deformities are seen as babies possessed by evil spirit, and sometimes they are sacrificed.
Prof Ugochukwu further noted that although the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had about two years ago, included the cleft care under the National Health Insurance Act cover, but the awareness on that is still very low, stressing the need for public awareness campaigns in the country.
Also speaking with Journalists, the medical director, National Orthopedic Hospital Enugu, Prof Emmanuel Iyidiobi stated that cleft care falls into one of the main objectives of the hospital, stressing that it is a subset of plastic surgery.
“We have collaborated with Smile Train for over a decade now in caring for patients. And I can tell you that records have shown that we have done more Cleft surgeries more than any other hospital in Nigeria.
“So, it is natural that we host this conference this year. And we are delighted to do so. And why are we doing this? Primarily, we are doing it in tandem with the goals of Mr President.
“Mr President’s new hope agenda for health mandates hospitals to emphasise on capacity building, training, and research, and thereby, reversing medical tourism in Nigeria, and that is why we decided to support the conference.”
Smile Train’s vice president and regional director for Africa, Mrs Nkeiruka Obi, said the organisation believes so much that every child born with a cleft disorder deserves access to high quality/ comprehensive care delivered by skilled, locally trained professionals.
She disclosed that last week, the organisation proudly launched Africa’s first Cleft Leadership Centre in Kumasi Ghana, a 30,000 square foot hub for training, research, and holistic cleft services.
The Enugu State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Emmanuel kechukwu, who expressed the ministry’s readiness to partner with the association in tackling cleft issue in the state, said the Governor Peter Mbah-led administration prioritises health issue.
He added that the government has invested heavily in medical infrastructure aimed at reversing the issue of medical tourism and brain drain in Enugu, informing the audience that a state-of-the-art international hospital being constructed by the administration was nearing completion and would be officially inaugurated by November this year.
A renowned surgeon Cardiologist, and Bishop of Enugu Anglican Communion, Rev. Prof. Samuel Ike, who was the spiritual father of the day, had admonished participants to hinge their trust in God and not in man, positing that with God, they would go places and accomplish their heart desires.
