1 minute hospital stay for surgery of a child with cleft in India

Cleft lip and palate (CLP) is one of the most common congenital malformations worldwide. 1 in 500 to 600 newborns is affected. In Germany, that is around 1,400 babies are born with a cleft every year. In India, with around 1.4 billion inhabitants, it is estimated that there are around 35,000 "cleft children" (Indian Council of Medical Research, 2016). The causes of CLP are not clearly understood. It is said to be multifactorial. What is certain is that the malformation is favored by a hereditary disposition. Malnutrition of the expectant mother, environmental and food pollution, or lack of oxygen at high altitudes can be other disruptive factors (parent brochure of the German interdisciplinary Cleft Lip and Palate Working Group). The cleft can affect the upper lip, jaw, and palate. The main treatment for any cleft is surgery to close the cleft. Thanks to our health system, the costs of the surgical procedure are covered by health insurance. This is not the case everywhere in the world. Around 80% of the Indian population work "informally", for example as day labourers or taxi drivers. They have no professional health insurance. "Only" 500 million people are registered with the state health insurance scheme introduced ten years ago (GIZ GmbH). Without treatment - or if the procedure is carried out too late - the children often suffer for the rest of their lives. They cannot take friends, health and going to school for granted. Because of the obvious disfigurement and unclear speech, they are stigmatized and excluded. Depending on the type and extent of the cleft, there are also extensive functional limitations. Babies with cleft palate cannot swallow or drink properly. They are often malnourished or undernourished and are therefore susceptible to infections. An abscess in the mouth can be life-threatening.