Kumasi, Jan.12, GNA- A one-week special Cleft and Craniofacial pre-surgery clinic being organised jointly by Komfo Anokye Teaching hospital (KATH) in Kumasi and Children's Surgery International, a Non-Governmental Organisation at Minneapolis, Minnesota in the United States started at KATH on Friday.

The first two-day is devoted for screening of both old and young patients who have the deformities to ascertain their health conditions for the corrective surgery.

Dr. Oti Acheampong, resident Maxillofacial Surgeon at KATH, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi at the commencement of the clinic, said the rest

of the days would be used for the surgical operation to correct the abnormalities.

He said the programme between the two institutions, which started three years ago had benefited over 250 patients throughout the nation. Dr. Acheampong said so far the surgery had been satisfactory and called on couples whose children have such deformities not to neglect them but send them to hospital for treatment and management. He said the cause of the deformity was unknown but attributed it to genetic system or the use of drugs such as steroids, herbal medication and the use of skin bleaching by women.

Madam Sue Schacht, Clinic Co-ordinator and a Board member of the NGO expressed satisfaction about their relations with the hospital and said it has been very co-operative and very wonderful and a good cultural exchange programme.

She said her organisation budgeted 75,000 dollars into the exercise and this involved transportation of a team for the exercise, medical supplies, shipment of supplies, payment of housing and meals. She said the 24-member team comprised Medical Doctors, Paediatricians, Surgeons, Anesthetists and Nurses.