CHILDREN WITH CLEFT LIP AND PALATE IN UONG BI, VIETNAM
An educational program to improve surgical technique, nutrition, speech treatment and dental health
A collaborative project between
Rotary Malmö Öresund, Sweden, district 2390 and
the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö Sweden,
Rotary Triangeln, Malmö, Sweden,
Rotary Langelinie, Copenhagen, Denmark and
Rotary Aberystwyth, Wales, United Kingdom Rotary Saigon, Saigon, Vietnam
Rotary’s seven focus areas
The project involves three of Rotary’s seven focus areas. Those three are Disease prevention and treatment, Maternal and child health and Education.
Why do children in Vietnam with cleft lip and palate need help with surgery from abroad?
The poorest families in northern Vietnam lack insurances and money that prevents their children from having surgery.
In Vietnam, children with cleft lip and palate are not accepted by society and therefore often hidden away. Their mothers are accused of having caused the cleft lip and palate due to not living according to traditions during pregnancy.
Without treatment the children often suffer from problems eating. A consequence from this is that their nutrient intake is insufficient, and they are more easily affected by diseases. They are also hurt mentally since they are not accepted as intellectually normal developed.
By treating the children with surgery and educate their families in nutrient and facts about cleft lip and palate, both the children and their mothers can be accepted by society and already during the treatment improve the situation for the child.
Results
Lip surgery when he was 1 year and 8 months.
Palate surgery when he was 2 years and 8 months.
He is now 12 years and is waiting for bone transplantation.
In the left photo below, you can see the cleft in the jaw.
Learn More
Education in surgical cleft lip and palate
The education of Vietnamese hospital staff consists of both theoretical and practical education. By performing surgery together with Swedish surgeons, the Vietnamese surgeons learn in a straightforward way.
Dr Bang from Vietnam and Dr Becker from Sweden are operating a child together.
An interpreter participates during the operation.
The cleft team in Vietnam in Uong Bi is a small team with few resources.
A child with a cleft lip and palate
The child has not been operated in the jaw which gives this result
The child has not been operated in the jaw which gives this result.
Bone transplantation to the cleft is needed
This photo shows the results after 3 operations
Including bone transplantation and orthodontics.
Nutrition problems are common
Malnutrition occurs in about 20% of Vietnamese children. Specific deficiencies such as blood (anemia), iron, zinc, folic acid, vitamin A, and vitamin D occurs in 60% in some of these nutrients. Energy deficiency causes poor growth. Education in nutrition of professionals and parents is urgent. Folic acid deficiency in the mother before conception can cause cleft lip and palate.
Dr Bang from Vietnam and Dr Becker from Sweden are operating a child together.
An interpreter participates during the operation.
The cleft team in Vietnam in Uong Bi is a small team with few resources.
How We Work
Our objectives
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Maecenas varius tortor nibh, sit amet tempor nibh finibus et. Aenean eu enim justo. Vestibulum aliquam hendrerit. molestie.
Background and Purpose
The Uong Bi Hospital, northeast of Hanoi, was built by SIDA (The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) in 1980. Several Swedish aid workers have worked at this hospital since then.
That the team at the hospital in Uong Bi will develop and become independent of help from other countries.
That the surgeons at the hospital in Uong Bi should independently operate the children in all steps until the age of 8-10 years.
That they should also master bone transplantation and orthodontics.
To educate speech therapists in Hanoi who will then be active in the cleft team at the hospital in Uong Bi.
To increase knowledge about children’s nutritional deficiencies among hospital staff and parents.
To produce teaching materials in nutrition.
Hospital Staff together with the Swedish team in Uong Bi outside the hospital
If you want to give a gift to the project
Malmö-Öresund Rotaryklubb
Handelsbanken 6758 Malmö Limhamn Sweden
Bankgiro number 5131-1108
BIC/IBAN: HANDSESS SE76 6000 0000 0004 1256 5781
SWISH: 123 56 047 31
Donations
Optional donation
Operation per child 3000 SEK
Education doctors, nurses, speech therapists 2000 SEK
Family support (journeys, food, etc.) 500 SEK
Enter your name, e-mail, LKG and what donation you want to give when you SWISH or when you pay with Bankgiro.
You will receive a gift certificate if you email Torkil Rönne at torkil@cuprus.se
Enter your name, e-mail address, LKG and what donation you have given.
If you want more information, contact one of the persons below!
Irene Axelsson
Project manager
Board Member Rotary Malmö Öresund
Board Member International Committee Rotary Malmö Öresund
MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Mob+46(0)709570198,
E-mail: irene.e.axelsson@gmail.com
Eva Albihn
Past President Rotary Malmö Öresund
Board Member Rotary Malmö Öresund
Member of the Project Committee
Mob+46(0)702681150,
E-mail: albihn80@gmail.com
Torkil Rönne
Assistant Rotary Coordinator
Rotary International District 2390, DG 2019-2020, Zone 18 Sweden/Denmark
ARC 2020-2022, Chair International Committee Rotary Malmö Öresund
Mob+46 (0)727272491,
E-mail: torkil@cuprus.se
Magnus Becker
Head of Malmö cleft team
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden,
MD, PhD, Associate Professor
Mob +46 (0)705409064
E-mail: magnus.becker@med.lu.se
Annika Uvemark
Cleft coordinator at Malmö cleft team
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
Mob +46(0)706392222
E-mail: uvemark_anderberg@hotmail.com