Ongoing cleft surgery in our centre amidst the nation wide surge of Dengue
A two and half year-old female child (left side of picture) was brought to our Centre at Janakpurdham by her mother and grandfather from Sarlahi district (around 80 km from our Centre) seeking for the treatment of cleft lip. The field camp instituted by this Centre assisted in the identification of this patient and majority of the residents of the Sarlahi district including this patient family are aware of the free services provided by our CFCN hospital for the treatment of craniofacial deformities treatment. She presented with incomplete median cleft of upper lip only with no family history of any developmental abnormality. She has a 9-month-old brother (right side of photo) who is healthy and does not have any developmental disorder. Currently, due to cleft lip she has problems with feeding and speaking clearly. Although the recommended timing (i.e., within 3 to 6 month of age) of repair has passed, if not treated now, this might have negative physical and psychological impact on her and her family. Therefore, we have scheduled her surgery, as well as those of other patients with cleft lip/palate, with our highly skilled team of cleft surgeons within a week (4th week of September 2022).
Dengue, a mosquito-borne disease, is on the rise in Nepal (August/ September 2022), which is regarded as a year-round threat. It has been classified as national concern by the Government of Health and Population of Nepal (MoPH). We, at Craniofacial Centre Nepal in Janakpurdham, have been educating and raising awareness about dengue prevention among patients visiting for craniofacial or dental issues. According to the UN, there is no specific treatment for severe dengue, but early detection and access to proper medical care can reduce the fatality rate. According to the MoPH Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) report from September 4th, 2022, a total of 5029 dengue cases have been identified since January 2022. Province No. 3 (Bagmati) had the most cases, with 3727, and Province No. 6 (Karnali) had the fewest, with 36. While Province No. 2 (Madhesh) reported a lower number, it was slightly higher than Karnali province, with 79 cases. Health of all is always our priority. The management of liquid waste or any form of water storage in outdoor container inside and outside the hospital is the primary concern in the current situation. This aids in preventing mosquito breeding. All staff members and patients were made aware to wear long sleeves clothes and use mosquito repellents in day-to-day life.
(Data Source: ECDC; http://edcd.gov.np/news/download/situation-updates-of-dengue-as-of-4-sept-2022 )
Author:
Dr Kumar KC
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon