MIRI: More than 400 children born with a cleft lip and palate have had free plastic surgery since 2004 in the state.
State Transport Minister Datuk Sri Lee Kim Shin said the surgeries had given a new lease of life to many who had since grown up normally in the community.
He revealed this at the launching of CLAPHAS or Cleft Lip and Palate Help Association Sarawak on Monday.
“The cleft lip and palate project in Miri started 18 years ago, in collaboration with Cleft Lip and Palate Association of Malaysia (CLAPAM), Columbia Asia Hospital Miri and a team of volunteer doctors from Kuala Lumpur,” he said.
Impressed with the team’s achievements and the success of the project in restoring smiles to children born with cleft lip and palate, he said, many had suffered tremendous physical and mental stigma due to late and overdue operations to repair defects to their mouth and lips.
“I’m indeed very glad that we have a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) like CLAPHAS that is formed in Sarawak to complement the government hospital services, to help the less fortunate who need plastic surgery for children with cleft lip and palate in Sarawak.
“I know there are many poor families who can’t afford the costs of plastic surgery operations and many families who are far in the rural areas have logistical problems to come to the government hospitals for an appointment.”
The team not only provides free surgical services but also helps the child and parents with transport and logistics.
“And this has helped a lot of these needy children to get their operations done successfully,” Lee added.
CLAPHAS was formally registered under the Registrar of Societies (ROS) on January 14 last year.
Also present were Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts I Datuk Sebastian Ting, Executive Deputy Chairman of Dayang Enterprise Holdings Berhad Datuk Ling Suk Kiong, Executive Deputy Chairman of Dayang Enterprise Holdings Berhad ,President of CLAPAM Malaysia Zainal Azhar Ahmad, Plastic Surgeon and the leader of the project surgical team from Kuala Lumpur Dr Kim Tan, chairman of CLAPHAS Dato Dr Philip Raja, director of Miri General Hospital Dr Jack Wong, General Manager of Columbia Asia Hospital- Miri Dr Chong Ket Cheong and Chief of Medical Services, Columbia Asia Hospital-Miri Dr Roland Mattu.
