The substitute Minister of Health, Swedenberger Barbosa, visited this Monday (18) the reference unit in the Central-West Region for cleft lip and palate at the Regional Hospital of Asa Norte (Hran). The purpose of the visit was to learn more about the work carried out by the team and to begin the process of qualifying the hospital as a national reference for the treatment of this condition.
The Hran Multidisciplinary Cleft Care Service has existed in the Federal District for 20 years. The minister expressed his admiration for the quality of service and guaranteed the qualification. “In the next few days we will receive the documentation. This is a very important movement for Brazilian society,” he said.
The outpatient clinic stands out for the excellent treatment offered by the interdisciplinary team of 17 professionals. In addition to plastic surgeons, dental surgeons and speech therapists, the hospital has psychologists, pediatricians, otorhinolaryngologists, nutritionists, dentists, nurses, nursing technicians and administrative volunteers.
For the Secretary of Health, the qualification will make it possible to further expand assistance to cleft patients, whose diagnosis can be detected in the first days of the baby’s life. “I would also like to take this opportunity to ask for support in alerting the population about the importance of examining the palate at the time of birth, and thus having earlier identification.”
Treatment
In Brazil, data from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that for every 650 children born, one has a cleft lip and palate. The causes involve genetic and environmental factors, which can act alone or in combination. Treatment of patients with the condition begins from birth and continues until adulthood, going through several stages and specialized professionals.
According to the doctor and coordinator of the Hran Multidisciplinary Cleft Care Service, Marconi Delmiro, the treatment is prolonged and requires at least two surgical interventions in the simplest cases. “The most complex ones require at least five operations. The first is done from six months of age and the second should occur around one and a half years of age”, he explains.
Currently, care for patients with cleft lip and palate is provided at the Hran outpatient clinic, every Monday afternoon. The success of treatment and rehabilitation of users depends significantly on a multidisciplinary approach, in addition to family involvement with health professionals.
An example of this success is the case of João Miguel, just 7 years old, who underwent surgery when he was eight months old and continues to be monitored by psychologists and speech therapists. His mother, Alana Azevedo, 31, works as a beautician, and expresses deep gratitude for the hospital staff. “He receives all the support and today it seems like he has nothing,” she says, demonstrating her happiness with the progress of the treatment.
Natália, 13 years old, had the surgery when she was one year old and has since received psychological support, in addition to weekly physiotherapy. Her mother, Vanessa Neres, 32 years old, reports that she sought care immediately after discovering her daughter’s condition in a morphological ultrasound exam carried out during pregnancy. For her, the support of the multidisciplinary team was essential, even if the condition was already known in the family.
What is cleft palate?
Cleft lip and palate are the most common congenital malformations occurring in the head and neck. It is estimated that, worldwide, there is one case of cleft for every 700 births, according to Delmiro.
The malformation arises from multifactorial causes and genetic predisposition is one of them. The occurrence is greater in the Asian population, followed by the European and South American population, being less frequent in people of African descent. According to the Health Surveillance Secretariat of the Ministry of Health, maternal malnutrition, obesity and tobacco and alcohol consumption during pregnancy are important risk factors.
Service
Consultations at the Multidisciplinary Cleft Care Service can be scheduled on Mondays, from 2pm to 6pm, in the orange corridor of the Hran outpatient clinic. On this day of the week, a large part of the care offered to patients undergoing treatment is also concentrated.
The post Deputy Minister of Health visits reference unit for cleft lip and palate in Hran appeared first in Jornal de Brasília.
Source link
THE NAIS IS OFFICIAL EDITOR ON NAIS NEWS