Mysore :
Deutsche Cleft Kinderhilfe e.V., a first-of-its-kind super specialty cleft treatment centre was inaugurated at St. Joseph’s Hospital in city yesterday by Hans-Gunter Loffler, Deputy Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Bishop of Mysore Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas A. Vazhapilly presided over the function held at St. Mathias School auditorium.
The guests of honour included prominent dignitaries like Alexander Gross, CEO, Deustche Cleft Kinderhilfe, Germany; Dr. Brigitte Winkler, Schweizer Hilfe fur Spaltkinder, Switzerland and Dr. Margrit Leuthold, Executive Director, Swissnex India.
Speaking at the occasion, Hans-Gunter Loffler said, “It is indeed a proud moment for us, as Germany is a good partner to India not just in the business and cultural domain but also in social and developmental activity.”
Addressing the gathering, Alexander Gross said, “Our aim is to make quality healthcare accessible to the underprivileged.”
Deutsche Cleft Kinderhilfe cleft centre at St. Joseph’s Hospital will offer comprehensive therapeutic, diagnostic and surgical facilities under one roof. In addition, the centre will be the first-of-its-kind exclusive facility in the Mysore region to provide free treatment to severe congenital facial deformities like NAM–Nasoalveolar Moulding therapy and orthodontic care under one roof coupled with the many complex and specialised surgeries including orthognathic surgery, rhinoplasty, pharyngoplasty, distraction osteogenesis and many secondary corrections which are quite complex in nature.
Apart from this the Centre will also provide orthodontics, speech and ENT-related treatment for cleft children.
The new cleft care facility is fully equipped with a dedicated high-tech operation theatre and ICU with state-of-the-art high-tech equipments/ technology including laminar air flow, epoxy flooring, high-end anaesthesia work station with ETCO2 and cardiac monitors, sevoflurane compatible anaesthesia machines along with a post operative rehabilitation facility for those who have undergone advanced cleft correction treatment/surgery.
The hospital has an exclusive blood bank having all the 4 components of blood 24/7 and facility of Apheresis which is a one-of-its-kind in Mysore.
Patients requiring cleft correction treatment can contact Dr. S. Manu Prasad, Project Director of the centre, on Mob: 09886701781
About Deutsche Cleft Kinderhilfe: In order to improve the living condition of the affected children and their families, Deutsche Cleft Kinderhilfe was founded in 2002. There are already ten cleft centres in India, in which operations are performed on over 2,000 children and teenagers each year. The comprehensive, free treatment also includes subsequent medical checkups, speech therapy, counselling and accommodation as well as transport costs for the children and their families, who are destitute in some cases.
In India, Deutsche Cleft Kinderhilfe has been actively setting up cleft centres in the past few years and at present successfully runs nine centres at Agra, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Coorg, Patna, Surat, Srinagar and Visakhapatnam. It also supports a cleft centre in Bangalore and Noida.
With over 10,000 free cleft lip and palate surgeries to its credit in India, the organisation is still midway on its long journey to provide high end comprehensive cleft care. Cleft in most cases, remains a childhood curse, as these otherwise completely normal children are socially ostracised coupled with health issues. If treated well and at a young age they are able to lead a completely normal and productive life.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / November 06th, 2013