The Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) plastic surgery and maxillofacial teams accomplished a significant milestone over the last weekend when they completed their second round of independent cleft surgeries. A total of nine successful procedures were performed, including six cleft lip repairs and three cleft palate repairs.
According to a GPH press release, a continuous partnership with Smile Train, an international charity devoted to providing comprehensive cleft care, allowed for these revolutionising procedures. Last year, GPH achieved certification as a Smile Train Centre, marking four fruitful years of collaboration
According to the release, the journey with Smile Train at GPH commenced in 2019 under the expert guidance of Dr Louise LaBerge and Dr Richard Raker. Since then, Dr Rajkumar, Dr Aguila, and Dr Arturo were trained in cleft lip, cleft palate, and anaesthetic care, respectively. Over the years, the local surgical team’s expertise has grown, allowing them to take on supervisory roles. As of 2023, GPH’s surgical and anaesthetic capabilities for cleft patients are now fully conducted in-house.
