This marks the first ‘Smile Week’ in the Free State, since the coronavirus pandemic brought South Africa to a standstill. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Smile Foundation, Hedley Lewis, tells OFM News there is a backlog of children waiting to undergo cleft and palate reconstruction, craniofacial surgery as well as ear and nose reconstructive surgeries, amongst other procedures. He says the Smile Foundation has been quietly waiting in the wings for the coronavirus pandemic curve to flatten, so that elective surgeries can get underway again. Lewis expresses his gratitude to the medical fraternity for their hard work during the pandemic.

“We just want to thank the frontline: the surgeons, the doctors, the hospital management for getting us to a point where we could actually have this opportunity of a reduced curve,” says Lewis passionately.

Roughly two weeks ago, the foundation was in the Eastern Cape, where 23 patients underwent corrective surgeries.

The foundation reiterates its commitment to being there for hospitals and families. For hospitals, they try to assist with consumables or additional staff. For the families of children with facial anomalies, they try to create a stress-free environment for the families by taking care of transport, accommodation, psychologists, speech therapists and special bottles for children with cleft lip and palate conditions.  The foundation works alongside various organisations like the Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons of Southern Africa (APRASSA), to develop future surgeons, who can help make a difference in the lives of children who suffer from these facial anomalies in the future, says Lewis.

Speaking of the sacrifices made by frontline healthcare workers, the Free State Health Department has revealed a total of 42 healthcare workers have lost their lives due to Coronavirus-related complications since the break out of the virus in the province in early March. This is according to the provincial Health department’s Helen Motloung. She says a total of 3 584 health care workers, who are amongst the frontline workers in the country, were infected by the virus and so far 3 042 of them have recovered. Motloung was a part of a team from the department that briefed media last week on their efforts to curb the resurgence of the virus in the province.

OFM News