Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Health, Khawaja Salman Rafique has inaugurated the first 'Combined Cleft Clinic' at Mayo Hospital on Friday. The Plastic Surgery Department aimed to cure cleft lips and palate clefts among children, where children suffering from this disease would be provided free-of-cost facilities, under one roof said Salman Rafique.
Acting Vice Chancellor King Edward Medical University, Professor Asad Aslam Khan, MS Dr Zahid Pervaiz, Professor of Plastic Surgery, Dr Fareed Ahmed Khan, Professor Haroon from USA, and other senior doctors were also present on the occasion. Professor Fareed Ahmed Khan informed on the occasion, that the cleft lips and cleft palate disease are found among the children of cousin marriage parents, which is why Pakistan is at the fourth place in the world, with regard to birth of such children.
He said Mayo Hospital had already facilities for cleft lips and palate clefts disease, however, for their medical treatment, patients and their attendants had to visit different departments, but now all related facilities have been made available, under one roof. Doctors of Plastic Surgery Ward would sit daily in Cleft Clinic, from Monday to Saturday at 10.00 am to 12.00 O'clock, for free-of-cost checking of children.
He said the medical procedure for these children is quite prolonged during which many operations of the patient children have to be conducted. Talking to the media representatives, Salman Rafique said that provision of medical facilities to the people is the foremost responsibilities of the government, and Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, is paying special attention for the promotion of health sector. Salman Rafique informed that Cleft Clinic would also be initiated in other teaching hospitals of the province, so that the patients do not have to take trouble of travelling long distance to Lahore in this regard.