By Regina Benneh
Sunyani, (Bono) July 17, GNA-More than 50 cleft care professionals from 18 African countries are expected to attend the 2026 Indo-African Cleft Conference, to be held in Goa, India.
Smile Train is organizing the conference scheduled for July 20 to July 23, 2026 on the theme: “Synergy 2026: excelling together”.
According to a statement issued and signed by Mrs Nkeiruka Obi, the Vice President and Regional Director for Africa of the Smile Train, noted that collaborations from the South had strengthened the organization’s programmes across the continents.
Smile Train is an international Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally.
A copy of the statement made available to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani said the NGO advanced a sustainable and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, improving children’s ability to eat, breathe, speak, and thrive.
It said the Smile Train had supported more than two million children with free life-changing cleft surgeries in over 75 countries globally.
The statement explained that participants attending the conference comprised surgeons, anesthetists, nurses, speech therapists, orthodontists, nutritionists, researchers, and healthcare leaders.
“India and Africa have similar experiences and challenges in addressing clefts”, it stated.
By fostering stronger partnerships between Africa and India, the Indo-Africa Cleft Conference reinforces a shared vision of ensuring that every person born with a cleft has access to safe and high-quality surgery, comprehensive treatment, and lifelong care regardless of where they live.
The statement explained that the conference would promote interdisciplinary care, saying the programme would also empower the participants to gain practical insights into implementing and adapting comprehensive cleft care models.
It would also address common challenges faced across low-resource settings as well as enhancing training and mentorship, advancing research, and fostering collaboration between cleft care providers.
The statement added that the 2026 conference builds on the success of the inaugural Indo-Africa Cleft Conference held in Nairobi in 2012.
The conference also aimed at institutionalizing shared learning between the two regions by documenting successful models and creating sustainable partnerships that continue beyond the event.
GNA
Edited by Dennis Peprah/George-Ramsey Benamba
Reporter: Regina Benneh
[email protected]