Event details
- Date: February 12 – 28, 2025
- Time: Weekdays, 07:30 – 15:30
- Venue: YGOPH – Paediatric surgery unit & operating theatres, Ngousso
- Cost: Free
- For: Children and other patients with a cleft lip or palate, and their families
- Status: Completed
Quick contact
Event overview:
From 12 to 28 February 2025, YGOPH opened its operating theatres to children and families living with a cleft lip or cleft palate. The campaign, a fruit of Sino-Cameroonian cooperation, offered free reconstructive surgery to patients who might otherwise have waited years for an operation their families could not afford.
A cleft is a gap in the lip or in the roof of the mouth that forms before birth. Without repair, it can make feeding difficult, affect speech and hearing, and expose children to teasing and exclusion at school. Surgery can correct it, often in a single operation, with results that transform a child’s life and restore a family’s peace of mind.
Each patient followed a complete pathway of care: a surgical assessment, a pre-anaesthesia consultation, surgery carried out under the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist, monitoring in the recovery room and on the ward, and follow-up visits to check healing and give advice on feeding and speech.
Highlights
Free cleft surgery
Cleft repair was offered at no cost to eligible patients throughout the campaign.
Specialist teams
Paediatric surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses worked together, supported by our Chinese partners.
Safe surgery
Every operation followed the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist, with close monitoring afterwards.
Advice for families
Parents received guidance on feeding, wound care and follow-up before going home.
Programme
- Before the campaign – Registration: Families registered their child with the paediatric surgery unit and received an assessment date.
- Week 1 – Screening consultations: Surgeons examined each patient and planned the type and timing of the repair.
- Week 1 – Pre-anaesthesia checks: Anaesthetists confirmed each patient’s fitness for surgery and requested any necessary tests.
- Weeks 1 – 3 – Operating days: Operations were carried out each weekday, followed by monitoring in the recovery room and on the ward.
- After discharge – Follow-up visits: Patients returned for wound checks and advice on feeding and speech.
Who should attend?
- Babies and children born with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate
- Older patients whose cleft had never been repaired
- Parents and guardians seeking advice on feeding a baby with a cleft
- Health workers wishing to refer a patient
Practical information
- Venue: Paediatric surgery unit, YGOPH, Ngousso – Yaoundé 5th.
- When: 12 to 28 February 2025, weekdays from 07:30. Operations were scheduled by appointment.
- Cost: Cleft surgery was free of charge during the campaign.
- Register: Registration for future campaigns is open all year at the paediatric surgery unit or on (+237) 670 607 278.
What was achieved
The campaign gave children from Yaoundé and beyond the chance to have their cleft repaired free of charge, and allowed our surgical, anaesthesia and nursing teams to strengthen their skills in reconstructive surgery. Families who could not be included were invited to register for the next campaign, which took place from 20 October to 5 November 2025.
Questions & answers
My child has a cleft. How do I register for the next campaign?
Come to the paediatric surgery unit with your child’s health booklet and any medical documents, or call (+237) 670 607 278. We keep a register all year round and contact families as soon as a campaign is scheduled.
At what age can a cleft be repaired?
A cleft lip is usually repaired in the first months of life, and a cleft palate before speech develops, often around the first birthday. The surgeon will advise on the best timing for your child.
How should I feed my baby before surgery?
Babies with a cleft palate often need a special feeding position, cup or bottle. Our nurses can show you how to feed your baby safely so that they grow well before the operation.