Innscor Africa Limited in partnership with Global Cleft and Cranio-Facial Foundation, spearheaded a series of cleft lip operation camps that have dramatically improved the lives of many children in need. Cleft lip and palate are considered one of the most common congenital abnormalities, with birth prevalence rates ranging from 1/1,000 to 2.69/1,000 births.
Through Innscor Africa’s health subsidiary Province Health and
Wellness, a total of eight camps have been conducted, offering screening, surgical intervention, and post-operative care for children affected by cleft lip and palate. Children with cleft lip and palate often require comprehensive medical care, including surgical intervention, orthodontic treatment, speech therapy, and psychological support.
These camps have not only provided immediate surgical care but have also raised awareness about the importance of addressing congenital conditions such as cleft lip and palate. The success of this initiative highlights the critical role of partnerships between corporations, healthcare providers, and community organizations in making a significant difference in the lives of those affected.
Dr Tapiwanashe Kusotera from Providence Health and Wellness said, “As far as this initiative is concerned, our goal as Innscor Africa is to increase the number of surgeries that we are making available to the many desperate families across the nation of Zimbabwe in order to clear the extensive backlog.”
He added that the initial goal is to increase the scale and frequency of their operations from the current quarterly camps to potentially once every two months, in order to try and clear the national backlog.
Dr Paida Gurupira of Providence Health and Wellness also emphasized that the programme is a journey meant to give patients hope and comfort, as all costs will be covered by the sponsors, not the patients.
“At Providence Health and Wellness, we can sponsor and truly offer these surgeries to the children free of charge.’ And when I say they are free, they are absolutely free. The parents do not pay for anything. We are sponsoring everything from the medication to the food that the patients will receive. Most of these patients come from far-flung districts, far from Harare. So they travel to Harare. Many of them don’t have relatives here, and the majority don’t have any form of income. So we realized it’s one thing to simply say, ‘come, and we’ll offer you the surgery for free.’
“But we had to consider the patient as a whole. They need to eat. They will need psychosocial support. Many of them are babies, so they will need diapers and milk. So when we intervened, it was with a holistic view of the patient, considering what that journey – that’s why I call it a journey – would entail and what they would need to make that journey as comfortable as possible,” Dr.Gurupira said.
The campaign commenced in June 2023 and continued in April. Innscor Africa chairman Addington Chinake said since the programme started, the partnership has scaled up its screening programmes to identify a greater number of patients and families earlier in life who are in need of cleft surgery and support.
“We believe in life-changing social responsibility especially when it comes to the under-privileged and less fortunate members of our communities in our own small way.:
A total of 263 children have been screened since the start of the camps. Of those 185 children were admitted for surgery while 181 were successful. At the recent camp in early April, 33 children were screened and 24 were successfully operated on
“These camps not only help children rediscover their voices but also empower them with healthy, confident smiles – making life brighter for families nationwide,” said Chinake
One of the beneficiaries, Boniface Tshuma from Lower Gweru, along with his seven-month-old son Ronald Tshuma, expressed gratitude to Innscor Africa, through its health subsidiary Providence Health and Wellness, for the successful surgery his son received, and the other services provided.
“At first, we were seen at Gweru Hospital after our child was born with a left cleft palate. As a family, we accepted it, but we were concerned about how we would manage it. We worried about the expenses, but we discovered that our burden had been lifted by Innscor Africa through its health subsidiary Providence Health and Wellness. We were instructed to travel to Harare with the baby for the surgery. All the procedures performed during the surgery would have been expensive for us, but thanks to Providence Health and Wellness, the journey was easy, and we are truly grateful,” he said.
Another beneficiary, from Norton, Marry Mugari expressed gratitude for the services they received from Providence Health and Wellness, the health subsidiary of Innscor Africa, for her 2-year-old son, Byron Mugocha who received the services.
“As parents (his father and I), we were not able to manage this on our own. Looking back to when he joined this programme, everything I needed was provided for; I didn’t lack anything. From the necessary medication, sometimes we thought we might be asked to buy it, just like in other hospitals, but for us, it was all free. The first time, I was worried when they took me in because I didn’t have money, but all the expenses were covered by Innscor Africa. After the surgery, I was given all the necessary requirements for his use. The second time was just the same as the first phase. I sincerely hope that this program doesn’t end with us but is extended to others,” she said.
As the programme continues, Innscor Africa remains committed to its vision of improving healthcare accessibility and outcomes for vulnerable populations, setting a powerful example of how businesses can contribute positively to society.
