Vietnamese and foreign medical professionals receive bouquets from the organisers of the 4th International Congress for Cleft Lip, Palate, and Craniofacial Deformity that opened in HCM City on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of the hospital

HCM CITY — Vietnamese and foreign medical professionals compared notes on comprehensive treatments at the 4th International Congress for Cleft Lip, Palate, and Craniofacial Deformity that opened in HCM City on Wednesday.

The annual conference has brought together 300 experts, who hope to enhance their knowledge and skills by exploring new technologies for comprehensive treatment of cleft lips and palate, one of the most common birth anomalies in Asia.

Việt Nam has an incidence of one in 500 live births, according to the National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology in HCM City.

Twenty three reports would be tabled and six workshops covering various treatments such as plastic surgery, orthodontics, speech therapy, nutrition, and guidance for parents on how to care for their children in terms of well-being, feeding and nutrition would be held, said Dr. Lê Trung Chánh, director of the hospital, said.

The hospital has reopened its Comprehensive Cleft Care Center after renovation and installation of state-of-the-art equipment, he said.

Established in 2018 with the support of the Canadian BC Children’s Hospital and British Columbia University, the centre was the first of its kind in Việt Nam.

It has treated more than 26,200 children with cleft lips and palate and other craniofacial anomalies since then.

All surgical procedures and treatments are free or subsidised by charity organisations.

Its personnel receive regular training from international professionals in treatment and the adoption of digitalisation in patient care.

The three-day conference is organised by the hospital, Canada’s Planet Smile for Kids Society and US nonprofit organisation Smile Train. —VNS