On Ghana’s independence day, 21 students and 3 chaperones of Operation Smile club were at the Reconstructive Plastics and Burns Centre of the Korle Bu Teaching hospital in Accra. They were on a medical mission to learn and assist in their speech surgery training program that supports people with cleft lip & cleft palate conditions. Ms Ruth Ansah-Akrofi, the Monitoring & Evaluation Assistant of Operation Smile Ghana received us warmly and provided more insight on what really goes on at such missions.
Some visited wards and engaged with the children for pre and post surgery. Others helped in arranging patient records. Another batch went into the theater to observe surgeries while a group engaged with dentists and speech therapists. This was a very instructive and engaging learning experience. Here are some reflections from two club members:
The trip to Korle-Bu Teaching hospital for Operation Smile was one of the most informative and inspiring trips I’ve been on as it enlightened me on various aspects of what Operation Smile does in terms of how they reach out to people with cleft lip and cleft palate, the screening process, the process of the operation and postoperative services (which includes - speech therapy, kids ward for the mental wellbeing of the patients). During this trip, all volunteers were assigned to different areas and being assigned in the filing/record section I got to sort out and file records of the patients who were going in for surgeries that week and I found it to be a very organized and thorough experience. I also got a firsthand experience of witnessing a surgery and was informed about the process of it. Overall, this trip was a very insightful and enjoyable one, I would recommend students join Operation Smile to experience this as well to aid in making an impact!
Amira Bukari (Grade 11)
My trip with the Operation Smile club from Lincoln Community School to Korle Bu hospital was incredible! Exploring the different roles and stations within the hospital gave me a deeper appreciation for the dedicated healthcare professionals. Being stationed in the Operation Room was a surreal experience; witnessing the delicate surgeries for cleft palate repair firsthand was truly eye-opening. It's amazing to see the direct impact of medical intervention on people's lives.
Vansh Bundhun (Grade 10)