The August edition of the hospital Ground Rounds held on Friday, 22nd August 2025, focused on the theme Comprehensive Cleft Care in UPTH – From Cries to Smiles. This edition featured the Department of Surgery under the specialties of plastic and reconstructive surgery together with specialists from multiple units to showcase the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital’s two decades of work in cleft management.

The session opened with remarks from the Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) Prof. Datonye Alasia and Dr. Emeka Ray-Offor, who commended the progress achieved in multidisciplinary cleft care. Dr. Ijeoma, Onwugha of the Burns and Reconstructive Unit, gave an overview of the journey so far, noting that more than 500 cleft cases have been managed at the hospital, with seven sub-units working together to provide a truly comprehensive service.

The Public Relations Officer, Meni Elabha highlighted the importance of outreach, emphasizing that awareness remains a critical factor in combating stigma and ensuring families bring affected children for care. Plans for future drives include poster distribution, rural community visits, and media campaigns across radio and television platforms.

Speakers from across specialties underscored the collaborative nature of cleft care. The paediatricians’ role was described as central, since they are often the first to diagnose and refer newborns. Orthodontic care spans infancy through adolescence, while the nutrition team addressed feeding challenges and the need for specialized guidance. The surgeons outlined the sequence of operations from lip and palate repair in infancy to corrective jaw procedures in later years. Consultant Anaesthetist Dr. Briggs used the analogy of a plane’s take-off, for flight and landing to describe the delicate role of anaesthesia, while perioperative nurses stressed the importance of preoperative visits to ease anxiety and ensure readiness. The speech therapy team emphasized their role in helping children develop clear and intelligible speech.

The presentations highlighted UPTH’s remarkable achievements in cleft management. Over the past 20 years the hospital has managed 506 cleft patients and performed 470 surgeries, supported by 16 years of partnership with Smile Train. This collaboration has sustained free surgical care and strengthened multidisciplinary teamwork across paediatrics, nutrition, orthodontics, anaesthesia, nursing, and speech therapy.

Speakers reiterated that cleft is not a curse and that treatment is both available and completely free at UPTH. With wider outreach, more children could be reached, treated, and supported toward recovery and reintegration.

The ground rounds concluded on a note of optimism, with participants reaffirming the institution’s commitment to advancing cleft care and building on its legacy of transforming lives. From cries at birth to smiles of recovery, UPTH continues to stand as a beacon of hope for children and families affected by cleft deformities.