Jordan charity gives children their smile back with free surgery

Record ID: 78709

  • Title: Jordan charity gives children their smile back with free surgery
  • Date: 15th November 2016
  • Summary: AIN AL BASHA, JORDAN (NOVEMBER 11, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WOMAN AND CHILD GOING TO DESK IN CLINIC CHILD'S MOUTH BEING CHECKED BY DOCTOR DIRECTOR OF OPERATION SMILE JORDAN, MAHMOUD BATAINEH, SITTING AT DESK WHILE WOMAN SITS DOWN IN FRONT OF HIM (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DIRECTOR OF OPERATION SMILE JORDAN, MAHMOUD BATAINEH, SAYING: "These surgeries are really important for any child who suffers from cleft lip and cleft palate, and we should not forget the functional problems that come with them, and they also have psychological problems, so we cure the functional and psychological problems. For example, if a child suffers from a cleft lip his psychological side will not feel comfortable and his peers also (will not feel comfortable) so we help them overcome this. Also a child who suffers from cleft lip or cleft palate will face difficulties in eating and talking as well as suffering from frequent infections in the ears and chest. We cure all these issues when we deal with the main issue." VARIOUS OF WOMAN TAKING NOTES ABOUT A CHILD WHO IS ABOUT TO BE SCREENED FAMILIES WAITING TO HAVE THEIR CHILDREN SCREENED WOMAN WITH BABY ON LAP OPERATION SMILE JORDAN EXECUTIVE MANAGER, BANA MAREI, WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OPERATION SMILE JORDAN EXECUTIVE MANAGER, BANA MAREI, SAYING: "Today (Friday) is called screening day when we check up the patients and see who the patients are that we can hold surgeries for. Today is only for medical check ups from the beginning until the end of the day. Saturday and Sunday, tomorrow and after tomorrow, we will hold surgeries, if God is willing. Our target is that we want to operate in between 40 and 50 surgeries if God is willing," AIN AL BASHA IN BALQA (NOVEMBER 13, 2016) (REUTERS) SURGERY ROOM DOOR SIGN READING (Arabic) 'SURGERY' VARIOUS OF SURGERY IN PROGRESS PEOPLE WALKING IN HOSPITAL CORRIDOR VARIOUS OF MAN FROM SYRIA'S RURAL DAMASCUS, AMEER SHIHAB, SITTING WITH HIS FAMILY, INCLUDING CHILD WHO HAS BEEN OPERATED ON, IN HOSPITAL ROOM MAN FROM SYRIA'S RURAL DAMASCUS, AMEER SHIHAB, SAYING: "The surgery has to be implemented because when it happens at least from the first surgery infections go away and breathing becomes natural. It is done in stages, two or three surgeries remain and hopefully God will help him." PEOPLE WALKING IN HOSPITAL CORRIDOR
  • Embargoed: 30th November 2016 11:04
  • Keywords: Operation Smile Jordan operation cleft palate children
  • Location: AIN AL BASHA, JORDAN
  • City: AIN AL BASHA, JORDAN
  • Country: Jordan
  • Topics: Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA00158K272T
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A non-profit organisation in Jordan is giving children their smiles back by performing free surgery for cases of cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities.
    Operation Smile Jordan (OSJ) was founded in 2004 and aims to help children from Jordan and neighbouring countries. The charity says it has carried out surgeries on over 3000 children so far.
    "These surgeries are really important for any child who suffers from cleft lip and cleft palate, and we should not forget the functional problems that come with them, and they also have psychological problems, so we cure the functional and psychological problems," said the director of Operation Smile Jordan, Mahmoud Batanieh, who was carrying out screenings at the Prince al Hussein Bin Abdullah hospital in Ain al Basha, outside Amman.
    He said that the organisation screened 300 children in that particular session.
    The charity's executive manager, Bana Marei, explained the process ahead of surgery.
    "Today (Friday) is called screening day when we check up the patients and see who the patients are that we can hold surgeries for. Today is only for medical check ups from the beginning until the end of the day. Saturday and Sunday, tomorrow and after tomorrow, we will hold surgeries, if God is willing. Our target is that we want to operate in between 40 and 50 surgeries if God is willing," she said.
    She added that they promote the free surgery through local media outlets to raise awareness of their campaign.
    One Syrian family in the hospital welcomed the initiative.
    "The surgery has to be implemented because when it happens at least from the first surgery infections go away and breathing becomes natural. It is done in stages, two or three surgeries remain and hopefully God will help him," he said as he sat on a hospital bed with his family, comforting a child who had been operated on.
    According to the charity, one in every 700 babies in Jordan is born with a cleft lip, cleft palate or other kind of facial deformity.
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