WHO urges early cleft care as birth defect affects one baby every three minutes

Expanding access to comprehensive cleft care remains a critical priority as a child is born with a cleft every three minutes worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

In a news release on Tuesday, Smile Train Area Director for Southeast Asia John Manuel Flores said families continue to face barriers to timely medical intervention even though cleft lip and palate are highly treatable.

He emphasized that comprehensive care is vital for a child's basic survival and long-term development.

“Clefts affect far more than a child’s outward appearance. It impacts even basic functions like breathing and eating, and even their well-being as they grow into adulthood," he said.

"Comprehensive cleft care includes essential treatments beyond cleft surgery, such as nutritional support, speech therapy, specialized orthodontics and dental work, hearing care, and psychosocial counseling -- all important toward ensuring people with clefts not just live but thrive.”

Estimates from health organizations and medical institutions in the Philippines show that about 4,000 children in the country are born with a cleft lip, cleft palate, or both every year.

Meanwhike, medical journals estimate that the local incidence rate ranges between one in 500 to one in 1,000 live births nationwide.

Flores also noted that surgical intervention alone is not enough, highlighting the necessity of long-term support systems across families, schools, and local communities to ensure children are fully integrated and supported.

To address systemic misconceptions early, Smile Train Philippines partnered with the REX Education Foundation Inc. (REFI) to launch educational initiatives aimed at fostering empathy and inclusion within schools.

REFI vice chairperson Dominic Leandre Buhain said education has the power to shape children's knowledge, perception and treatment of others.

"Through our partnership with Smile Train Philippines, we hope to foster greater understanding of cleft conditions at an early age, helping nurture classrooms and communities where every child feels respected, included, and empowered to thrive," he said.

Smile Train provides funding, training, and resources to local healthcare professionals globally to deliver free, life-saving cleft treatments that significantly improve a child's ability to eat, speak, and thrive.

-Ma. Teresa Montemayor/Philippine News Agency