Operation Smile Cebu Mission starts today

Now on its 19th year, the Operation Smile Cebu Mission (OSCM) will start operating today the 132 children with cleft-lip palate and other facial deformities at the Visayas Community Medical Center (VSMC) until March 3.

Ramona Aliño, Executive Director of the Mariquita Salimbangon-Yeung Charitable Foundation Inc. (MSYCFI) said that a total of 184 children were registered but only 132 have qualified for the surgery.

Aliño said that the rest were disqualified due to their age, as based on the worldwide standard of Operation Smile, children below six-months-old should not undergo such operation unless the child is very healthy.

A team of 100 pediatricians, plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, dentists and speech pathologists from the United Kingdom, England, Italy, Peru, Russia, Sweden and the United States of America came to Cebu for this mission to work with local doctors, nurses and other volunteers.

A mother, whose daughter had undergone a cleft lip surgery at the age of eight months last year said that she is happy with the mission considering that it is for free.

Yesterday, she was back at the mission as her daughter will undergo another surgery, this time, the cleft palate.

"Pasalamat gyud mi nga naa’y free surgery kay ang duha ka surgeries mogasto mi og P100,000 kung adto sa private hospital. Naa pa gyud mi allowance gikan sa foundation," said a mother from the town of Medellin town in Cebu.

Aliño said that they now have patients coming from Bohol, Siquijor, Leyte and other provinces.

"As long as the child is qualified for surgery, ma-operahan gyud. The mission has no political color whatsoever," Aliño said.

Aliño added that for the past 18 years, a total of 5,006 children with cleft lip and cleft palate and other facial deformities have benefitted from the mission.

Last year, 121 children benefitted from the free surgeries.