The problems of establishing modern cleft lip and palate services in Bangladesh

AbstractThere are approximately 300,000 cleft lip and palate (CLAP) sufferers in Bangladesh amongst a population of 120 million. The vast majority of these patients cannot afford and do not have access to even basic surgical repairs or cleft related services. CLAP care in Bangladesh is compromised by the lack of a coordinated multidisciplinary care package (MDT) and a shortage of adequately trained surgeons. In January 2002, the Mobile Cleft Lip Camp was set up to address this shortfall. Subsequently camps have been held throughout the country and a total of 467 patients have been operated on over the last 2 years. The mobile cleft lip camp differs from the majority of other surgical camps in that it is run completely by local Bangladeshi doctors and nurses. Despite their best efforts the Mobile Cleft Lip Camps are not the solution to Bangladesh's CLAP problems. CLAP services are far behind those of the UK. They are in need of quite dramatic modernisation. For the long-term benefit of the 300,000 CLAP sufferers it is important that international organisations, groups and individuals help local medical staff to establish a Bangladeshi Cleft Lip Board and set up an MDT care package suited to the needs of the local CLAP population