Urgent Appeal: Children With Cleft Lip and Palate

Nine-month-old Asli, born with a cleft, arrived at Yoya Hospital in Adama with her parents. Her family are farmers, residing in the Oromia Region. Umar mentioned that such cleft cases had not occurred in their family before Asli.

Asli had previously visited Saglan Wajee Hospital for treatment but was not treated for cleft lip because she had Anemia. After three months, she had shown positive changes and returned to Yoya Hospital for further treatment.

Before receiving treatment at Yoya Hospital Asli's mother shared her experience. She expressed the challenges they faced as a family, being the first in their family to have a child with a cleft lip. This condition led to social isolation, with some family members distancing themselves. Ali’s father also struggled emotionally, which affected Asli’s mother deeply.

Asli’s mother highlighted the misconceptions in their community regarding cleft conditions, often attributed to acts of God, evil spirits, or punishment. She recounted the discomfort of visiting public places such as the market place. She would receive a lot of questions about her child’s condition and faced difficulty explaining her child's condition. This led to avoidance of public spaces and occasions.

Nutrition posed another challenge for Asli, as she struggled to eat solid foods comfortably due to her condition. Hamziya noted the limited diet options, mostly consisting of soft and liquid foods.

Asli underwent treatment at Yoya Hospital which brought hope and relief to the family. They expressed gratitude for the treatment received and acknowledged their fortune compared to others facing similar challenges.

Asli's parents said:

"We are very excited about the treatment given to our child. Certainly, we consider ourselves lucky with the outcome. Asli is fortunate compared to others with cleft conditions."

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