CAUSE MARKETING
My Take-Aways From The Cleft Congress 2022 In Edinburgh
By Emily Manjeru
Our ancestors from Kenya ’ s scenic highlands couldn ’ t say Scotland as the missionaries settled in my homeland , so they called it Thogoto . Thogoto kept springing in my mind as we touched down at Edinburgh Airport to attend the Cleft Congress 2022 which took place from 11th-15th July . This event happens every four years , bringing together cleft care professionals from all over the world . It was historic to watch and listen to bagpipes played by a man dressed in a kilt and long socks , eating haggis against the backdrop of the picturesque Edinburg Castle propped up on a hill . I will tell you about the travels later .
Cleft 2022 was incredibly organized for a hybrid event of its magnitude . As a nonmedic , I was privileged to present a paper physically , selected from thousands of submissions from medics across the globe . It was a great learning experience with wonderful innovations being showcased and heartwarming to mingle with my colleagues and our partners from other parts of the world .
My presentation was titled “ Media as a Catalyst To Enhancing Cleft Awareness : Case Study of Nigeria ”. One of the greatest challenges to treatment of cleft include the myths and misinformation surrounding the condition .
In 2021 , Smile Train carried out a Media Workshop in three states in Nigeria - Abuja , Lagos and Enugu - as a way of roping in the media to highlight accurate information about cleft and profile neglected surgical conditions . It was also a chance to position Smile Train as a thought leader in strengthening healthcare systems through providing funding , resources and training to local medical partners globally . We trained 65 journalists in total and to recognize their efforts , we launched the Cleft Awareness Media Awards , with the top three scribes walking home with $ 1,000 , $ 600 , $ 400 respectively .
These collaborative efforts reaped fruits as the number of beautifully written feature stories of our partners and beneficiaries received coverage in local media and online . There were more stories of patients who are now thriving , more voices around need for proper surgical infrastructure in the country and our brand gained attention .
The ripple effect is that The Nigeria National Surgical Obstetrics Anaesthesia and Nursing Plan has become a benchmark for many countries to adapt in prioritizing surgical services . Why is this important ? Because many families are caving under the astronomical burden of surgical care . By the age of 15 years , nearly 8 out of 10 children would undergo some form of surgery . Children born with cleft may not reach the age of 1 year due to poor nutrition , among other issues . If we never talk about these issues , policy makers will not act .
The biggest take-aways from the event included the call for more collaboration among stakeholders . Low-to-middle income countries deserve to be treated with dignity and respect when receiving the funding and resources from donors . There is need for investment in innovation and training that is practical for surgeons in the remotest village in your country .
Children need to be at the proper weight for age before undergoing surgery which requires investment in nutrition programs ( I ’ m sure this fits in the Government ’ s national budget ). Safe anaesthesia ensures that child and adult alike leave the theatre table alive . Speech therapy improves the quality of social life of the beneficiary without being bullied or stigmatized .
At a higher level , it is time that research from low-to-middle income countries get published and made accessible so that there is credible evidence to form healthy debate on media platforms . At the heart of it all , patients should be treated with compassion and the quality of surgical service delivery should be stellar regardless of their socioeconomic background .
Before I march away to the trumpeting bagpipes , allow me to rant a bit about the painstaking travel experience . From the nail-biting wait to receive or be denied the visa , to the obscene cost of flying to the UK only to lose your luggage or miss your flight due to cancellations or delays , it left a lot to be desired . It was a painful financial and reputation loss to the organizers as the hotel and travel industry milked millions from the crisis . The Conference Convenor Dr . Felicity Mehendale couldn ’ t have put it better by pressing upon governments to prioritize healthcare related activities and events when processing visas .
I ’ m off to find a Kimono as we meet in 2025 in Kyoto , Japan , for the next Cleft Congress !
Emily Manjeru is the Communications Manager for Africa at Smile Train . You can commune with her via mail at : Emilymanjeru @ gmail . com .
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