MP Anurag Sharma , JMD, Baidyanath Group initiates free Cleft Lip and Palate treatment under Veerangna and Smile Foundation
A nine-day free surgical camp for children affected by cleft lip and palate concluded in Jhansi on 6 August, providing treatment to 78 children from underprivileged families.
The camp was jointly organised by Veerangana Foundation, which is primarily engaged in social initiatives focused on women’s empowerment, child welfare and rural development, and Operation Smile. The camp was held at Maharani Laxmibai Medical College (MLBMC), Jhansi. All facilities, including travel, local transportation, accommodation, food, surgery and medicines, were provided completely free of cost.
Anurag Sharma, Member of Parliament from Jhansi-Lalitpur, who played a key role in organising the camp, said that timely treatment is extremely important for children affected by cleft lip and palate. However, the high cost of treatment often makes such care inaccessible to economically disadvantaged families. He thanked Operation Smile for its efforts and said that the organisation had done commendable work in bringing smiles back to the faces of children in Bundelkhand.
Anurag Sharma is also JMD of Baidyanath, where free doctor consultation services are available to the public.
He said, “Our biggest goal is to bring smiles back to the faces of children. We are committed to ensuring that no child is deprived of essential treatment due to financial difficulties. Such service initiatives will continue in the future, and we will consistently strive to organise more programmes of this kind.”
Major Success Achieved in February 2024
Earlier, a surgical camp held in February 2024 screened 220 patients, of whom 113 underwent successful surgeries. The camp was supported by 32 medical professionals from 16 countries. Considering the success of the previous camp and the continued need for treatment among patients, this year’s service initiative was once again organised on a larger scale.
Poonam Sharma, President of Veerangana Foundation, said that this was the second edition of the service initiative. Following the success of the first camp and considering the large number of patients requiring treatment, the initiative was expanded and organised on a much larger scale this time.
Operation Smile is a US-based charitable organisation that provides cleft care to children in need across the world. Patients from around 17 districts across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan attended the camp.
Doctors and volunteers from nine countries—the UK, USA, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, Peru, Mexico and the Philippines—participated in the camp. In addition to surgeries, the team also provided speech therapy and orthodontic support to the patients.
Abhishek Sengupta, Associate Vice President, Operation Smile (Asia), said that the organisation remains committed to serving children across Bundelkhand. As part of its three-year plan, Operation Smile aims to perform corrective surgeries for 500 children across the Bundelkhand region.
