PANO – Operation Smile Vietnam, in association with the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Hospital in Hanoi and with the Hue Odonto-Stomatological Hospital, will hold a program to provide free surgery for Vietnamese children with cleft lips and palates from April 15th to 22nd.

This year’s program is scheduled to take place in Hanoi and Hue city, with the participation of 150 health experts from different countries.

Photo for illustration

The program will provide surgery for 400 children and free health checkups for 250 patients.

Doctors will select and test patients on April 15th and then perform surgery from April 18th to 22nd at the two hospitals.

For surgery safety, cleft lip patients should be at least 6 months old and weigh at least 8 kg. Cleft palate patients should be at least 18 months old and weigh at least 10-12 kg. In addition, children with high fever or other diseases will not be eligible for surgery.

In 2015, the organization successfully provided surgery for more than 1,600 children with cleft lips and palates.

Translated by Hong Thanh