Tamatave, Madagascar - International Mission 2018-2020

Project location: MADAGASCAR, Tamatave
Project start date: April 2018 - Project end date: April 2020
Project number: 2018-001
Beneficiary: FONDAZIONE OPERATION SMILE ITALIA ONLUS

Since 2007, Operation Smile has conducted medical programs in several cities across Madagascar, including Antananarivo, Antsirabe, and Tamatave.
Over the past 10 years, Operation Smile has conducted over 4.900 consultations and changed the lives of 2.256 children and adults, completely free of charge for patients, in Madagascar with cleft lip, cleft palate, and other facial deformities. Madagascar has been identified as part of Operation Smile’s surgical capacity initiatives.
This project received a grant from the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation. It is an international surgical mission being carried out in Tamatave, Madagascar.

The focus is to increase effectiveness and efficiency in surgical programs, while simultaneously strengthening the hospital partnership with local hospitals, ministries of health and partners.
Through an integrated, patient-centered approach, Operation Smile offers a scalable solution for equitably increasing access to surgical care in resource-poor environments in Madagascar. Our experience and expertise uniquely position us to bring surgical and preventive care to those in need, and side by side with the help of generous partners, we strive to ensure that no person suffers from a lack of access to safe, well-timed, and effective surgery.
This Program will enable a full-screening for every person who comes to screening, whether they are to receive surgery or not. It will also serve as an opportunity for patients and caretakers to interact with a child life specialist and speech therapists—both integral in pre- and post-operative care and knowledge.
There will also be a 1-week post-operative check-up for all patients who received surgery through this Program, to ensure high quality care and proper recovery.

The Program will provide free surgery to children and young adults who suffer from cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities and will rely on the network of credentialed medical staff and approved volunteers to include both local and other international volunteers as surgeons, anesthesiologists, pediatricians, nurses, child life specialists and many other skilled volunteers. 
The surgical goal for this Program will be to provide surgical care for approximately 100 patients. In order to increase the availability of surgery in a resource-limited environment, the organization will leverage its core competencies in deploying surgery programs, logistics and supplies, a global network of volunteers, and capitalize on strategic partnerships.