Operation Smile UAE was established in January 2011 under the patronage of Sheikha Alyazia bint Saif Al Nahyan wife of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan…reports Asian Lite News
‘Operation Smile UAE’ in cooperation with Healthpoint and the Department of Health-Abu Dhabi will be holding a medical mission, providing free surgeries for patients with cleft conditions from 4th-6th June at Healthpoint, Abu Dhabi.
Operation Smile UAE was established in January 2011 under the patronage of Sheikha Alyazia bint Saif Al Nahyan wife of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The foundation, which is a branch of the international charity “Operation Smile”, provides free and safe surgery for children and young people born with cleft lip and cleft palate, and was founded in 1982 and has so far provided more than 300,000 free surgeries to patients in about 30 countries around the world.
As part of its sixth campaign, Operation Smile UAE held three screening sessions to determine patients eligible for surgery. One at University Hospital, Sharjah, in January, where 11 patients were examined; one at Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital, Dubai, where 13 patients were screened; and the last at offices of Operation Smile in Abu Dhabi where seven patients were screened.
Over three days, 10 patients aged six months to 39 years will receive life-changing surgeries for their cleft conditions.
A team of 32 medical volunteers, including surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, and paediatricians will be donating their time during the mission. Operation Smile UAE medical volunteers will be working alongside volunteers from Healthpoint.
Also, on this mission, 6 student volunteers from the Student Programmes initiative are participating to assist with paperwork and family care.
As part of the mission weekend on Saturday, June 5th patients who received operations at Healthpoint during the mission in December 2020 will be invited for their six-month checkup at Healthpoint. Operation Smile UAE’s volunteer medical team will examine the patients who received surgery and be available to answer questions from patient’s families on cleft follow-up care.
Since 2017, Operation Smile UAE has examined 109 patients of 24 nationalities and performed surgeries on 56 patients from more than 15 nationalities. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi hosted four medical missions, while Healthpoint Hospital Abu Dhabi hosted its first medical mission in December 2020.