Meghalaya hospital provides free treatment to cleft lip patients

SHILLONG - Taking a cue from ‘Smile Pinki’, an Oscar winning documentary, a hospital in Meghalaya provides free treatment to cleft patients.

Woodland hospital in Shillong has been providing a ray of hope to impoverished cleft patients by treating them for free.

“It is one of the commonest congenital deformity and it is mainly hereditary lack nutrition and vitamins in mothers which are main causes for incident,” said Werlok Kharshiing, plastic surgeon at woodland hospital.

Asma, from Baitbari village is 32 years old and has been unable to find a suitor due to her cleft deformity.

“My daughter is 32 years and is still unmarried and now after this she can get married,” M.R. Mulla, Asma’s uncle said.

A simple 45 minutes surgery helped Asma to lead a new life.

Woodland hospital is sponsored by the Smile Train project, which is an international charity organisation that provides free surgery for cleft lip and palate to people all around the world.

The project gained worldwide popularity after the documentary on Pinki titled “Smile Pinki” won the Oscars.

The hospital provides free surgery to anyone between the age of three months and 40 years with cleft lip and palate. The surgery costs 208.15 dollars.

The hospital has conducted 300 operation since January 2007. (ANI)