Operation Smile aims to perform 25 free cleft lip and palate surgeries in Mbombela

CAPE TOWN - A team of 40 volunteer medical professionals is in Mbombela this weekend to perform 25 free cleft lip and palate surgeries on children at Rob Ferreira Hospital.

The mission, led by Operation Smile South Africa, includes doctors and specialists from Cape Town and Johannesburg.

The initiative aims to provide life-changing treatment to children born with cleft conditions, which can severely impact their ability to eat, speak, and thrive.

READ: Operation Smile South Africa puts team together to help kids in Mpumalanga smile

Operation Smile’s executive director, Sarah Scarth, said the programme also includes dental care as part of its holistic approach.

“Cleft conditions are among the most common congenital anomalies globally, and it’s estimated that a child is born with a cleft every three minutes somewhere in the world.”

The organisation operates across South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, working to integrate cleft care into public health systems.