By Nuh Mohamed - Reporter
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Ethiopia, July 27 2026 – Ethiopia's Somali Regional State has expanded its free cleft lip and palate surgery campaign, with medical teams set to treat about 30 children in the latest round, Somali Regional State Television (SRTV Somali) reported on Sunday.
SRTV Somali reported that the campaign is being carried out at Doolow-Ado General Hospital in the Liban Zone by doctors from the regional health bureau, with patients travelling from across the Somali region and neighbouring areas to receive treatment.
Dr. Abdinasir Mohamed Mahmoud, one of the surgeons leading the campaign, said the current initiative is the fourth such programme conducted over the past two years and has already benefited between 150 and 200 children and adults.
He said the latest campaign is expected to provide free surgery for about 30 children, adding that access to such specialised care had previously been limited, forcing many families to travel long distances or forgo treatment altogether.
According to SRTV Somali, the campaign is being implemented through cooperation between regional health authorities, local medical teams and the German humanitarian organisation DCKH.
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Dr. Abdinasir said untreated cleft lip and palate can lead to feeding difficulties, speech problems, recurring ear and mouth infections, as well as stigma and barriers to education for affected children.
SRTV Somali reported that children with cleft lip can undergo surgery from around three months of age if they are healthy and weigh about five kilograms, while cleft palate surgery is generally recommended from nine to 10 months of age for children weighing around 10 kilograms.
Dr. Samatar Mohamed Hassan, another surgeon involved in the programme, said the medical team had previously conducted similar campaigns in Doolow-Ado, Dhagaxbuur and Wardheer, providing treatment to more than 100 patients.
He said the team planned to continue expanding the campaign to other parts of the region where specialised surgical services are needed.